The uncertainty surrounding the venue for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has been resolved. After months of delays, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially confirmed the event’s venues. “ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 to be played across Pakistan and a neutral venue,” the ICC said in a statement. This means India will play all its matches, including knockout games (if it qualifies), at a neutral venue.
In another major decision, the ICC announced that all India vs Pakistan matches in ICC events hosted by either country will be played at neutral venues until 2027. “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC Board confirmed on Thursday, 19 December,” the statement said.
“This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan), set to be played in February and March 2025, as well as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka).”
The “compromise” on the part of the ICC means that for the first time, the Indian cricket team will have to play Pakistan at a neutral venue in an ICC event, despite being the host or co-host. For a country that prides itself on its cricket dominance, this may be a significant shift.
India and Pakistan have only faced each other in ICC or Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events over the past decade. In this time, whenever Pakistan has hosted an ICC or ACC event, India did not travel to the country and played its matches at neutral venues. India last toured Pakistan for a bilateral series in 2005-06, and Pakistan last toured India for a bilateral series in 2012-13.
The confusion regarding the hosting venue for the 2025 Champions Trophy began when the BCCI stated it would not send the Indian team to Pakistan, the designated host, without clearance from the Indian government. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then rejected a hybrid hosting model, insisting that the same model be adopted when India hosts an ICC event. After extensive negotiations, a compromise was reached.
Additionally, the ICC awarded the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 hosting rights to Pakistan. “It was also announced that the PCB has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply. Cricket Australia is set to host one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period 2029 to 2031,” the ICC said in a release.
The schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be confirmed soon. Pakistan, who won the 2017 edition, will be joined by Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa in the eight-team tournament.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
