ICC Confirms Neutral Venues for India-Pakistan Matches in Champions Trophy
In a major development, the ICC has confirmed that India will not play its matches in Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Instead, a neutral venue will host all of India’s games, including the semis and finals. This decision shows the ongoing political tensions between the neighboring countries. They have hurt their cricketing ties for over a decade.
India’s Games to Be Played at Neutral Venues
On Thursday, the ICC announced that India will not play any Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. The specific neutral venue is not yet disclosed. Dubai, Dhaka, and Colombo are the top candidates to host India’s matches.
This decision follows India’s refusal, over a month ago, to travel to Pakistan for the eight-team tournament. It cited political and security concerns.
Pakistan’s Tit-for-Tat Response
In response, Pakistan will not play in India during the 2024-27 ICC tournaments. For events hosted by India, including the 2025 Women’s World Cup and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup (with Sri Lanka), Pakistan will play at neutral venues.
This tit-for-tat approach shows the strain in cricketing ties between the two nations. They have not hosted bilateral series since 2012 due to political tensions.
Historical Context: The India-Pakistan Cricket Standoff
The cricketing relationship between India and Pakistan has been fraught with challenges. Since Pakistan’s 2012 ODI series tour of India, they have only faced each other in ICC and Asia Cup tournaments.
Last year, Pakistan traveled to India for the ICC Men’s World Cup. This came after months of uncertainty and negotiations. In 2023, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. So, a hybrid model was used where India’s matches were played in Sri Lanka.
To atone for the hybrid model, the ICC awarded Pakistan the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Champions Trophy 2025: Teams and Schedule
The Champions Trophy 2025 will have eight teams. They are: Pakistan, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Afghanistan. Pakistan is the defending champion. The tournament schedule is expected to be announced in the coming days.
India’s games will be at neutral venues. Questions remain about how this will affect the tournament’s logistics and fan engagement.
What’s Next for India-Pakistan Cricket?
India and Pakistan still meet in ICC tournaments. But, the lack of bilateral series and the neutral venue model show their cricketing ties are broken. The refusal of both nations to travel to each other’s territories shows the political tensions that overshadow the sport.
As cricket fans await the Champions Trophy schedule, all eyes will be on the new arrangement and its impact on future ICC events.
