India will play its matches in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at neutral venues instead of traveling to Pakistan, the tournament’s host nation, according to an announcement by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The decision follows weeks of deliberations between the two cricket boards.
In return, Pakistan’s matches for ICC tournaments hosted by India will also take place at neutral venues, with specific locations yet to be finalized. According to the sources of Leaders team, the ICC stated, “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue,” confirming that this arrangement will apply to the Champions Trophy 2025.
The agreement extends to other upcoming ICC events, including the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Resolving the Standoff
The announcement resolves the deadlock over the Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, 2025. India had earlier declined to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns and ongoing political tensions.
The ICC added that the match schedule for the tournament will be announced soon.
As per the reports of Leaders team sources, India has not visited Pakistan for cricket matches since 2008, and the two teams now only face each other in multi-team international tournaments. Their last bilateral series occurred in 2012-2013 when Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year under a hybrid model, with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka after citing governmental restrictions on touring Pakistan.
Revival of International Cricket in Pakistan
The Champions Trophy 2025 will mark a significant milestone for Pakistan, as it will be the first ICC event the country has hosted since sharing the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. The Pakistan team recently traveled to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, where they played all their matches in Indian stadiums.
Pakistan last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, defeating India by 180 runs in a memorable final in London. The arrangement to play on neutral grounds highlights the ongoing challenges in fostering cricket diplomacy between the two rivals while ensuring the tournaments proceed smoothly.
