The International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s 2025 Champions Trophy will be held under a hybrid model, with India set to play their matches at a neutral venue rather than in the host country, Pakistan.
Pakistan and India have reached an agreement to adopt a hybrid model for hosting matches during the ICC events scheduled for the 2024-2027 cycle, including the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. Under the arrangement, matches between the two cricketing giants will take place at neutral venues rather than in the host countries, a decision driven by political tensions and security concerns.
The hybrid model will also apply to other ICC tournaments, including the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, hosted by India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has secured the hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venues will again be used for India-Pakistan matches.
This development ends a prolonged deadlock after India refused to send its team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Pakistan had initially resisted the hybrid model but later agreed, ensuring that neutral venues would be used for matches involving both countries.
The ICC Board confirmed that this neutral venue arrangement will apply to all India-Pakistan matches hosted by either country during the 2024-2027 rights cycle, including knock-out matches. The eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan, will feature top teams like Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, with Pakistan aiming to defend their 2017 title.
The decision reflects ongoing challenges in bilateral cricket relations between the two neighbors, who have not played a bilateral series since 2012-2013 due to strained political ties. India last toured Pakistan for the 2008 Asia Cup, and Pakistan reciprocated with a tour of India in 2012-2013. Since then, their encounters have been limited to ICC and Asia Cup events, with the most recent meeting during the 2023 ICC World Cup in India.
Pakistan has made significant strides in hosting international cricket after overcoming a decade-long isolation triggered by the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. The PCB has successfully brought several top teams back to Pakistan in recent years, boosting its cricketing credibility.
While this agreement resolves the immediate issue of hosting ICC events, it underscores the enduring politicization of sports between the two countries. India’s decision not to allow its team to cross the border for the Champions Trophy was criticized by Pakistan, highlighting the broader challenges in normalizing cricket relations.
Pakistan Secures Hosting Rights for Women’s T20 World Cup 2028
As part of the ICC’s broader hosting plans, Cricket Australia is set to host a senior ICC women’s event between 2029 and 2031, further diversifying the cricketing calendar. The detailed schedule for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is expected to be announced soon, setting the stage for an exciting event under the new hybrid framework.
