The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly selected the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As hosts of the tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board has officially conveyed this decision to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
A deadlock arose after India refused to visit Pakistan for the ICC event scheduled for February-March 2025. The PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India agreed on a ‘hybrid model.’ As per the formula, India-Pakistan matches in ICC events over the next three years will be played at neutral venues.According to a Cricbuzz report, the UAE was chosen as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the 2025 Champions Trophy after a meeting between Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Sanghar in the Sindh province of Pakistan.
“The PCB has chosen the UAE as the neutral venue and the PCB has formally informed the ICC about the decision. Now, India and Pakistan’s Champions Trophy matches will be held in the UAE. The final decision was made after a meeting between Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Al Nahyan,” a PCB spokesman was quoted as telling Cricbuzz.
Dubai is the preferred venue for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the Champions Trophy, which is likely to be played on February 23. The UAE has three international venues—Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah—but Dubai is favored due to its larger seating capacity and better infrastructure.
The ICC is expected to release the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule soon. On December 19, the ICC approved neutral venues for India-Pakistan matches in global tournaments from 2024 to 2027.
“The ICC Board has approved that matches between India and Pakistan played at ICC Events during the current rights cycle from 2024 to 2027 (which are to be hosted in India or Pakistan) will be played at a neutral venue proposed by the tournament host. This will apply to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (Pakistan), ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (India), and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (India and Sri Lanka),” the ICC released a statement and said.
India and Pakistan only meet in international tournaments due to strained political relations, with their last bilateral series occurring in 2012-13 in India. Their most recent clash was in the T20 World Cup 2024 earlier this year in New York, where India triumphed by six runs and later secured the title.
