The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that future ICC events involving Pakistan and India will be played at neutral venues under a hybrid model. According to the ICC’s statement, the two arch-rivals will not face each other on each other’s soil for at least the next three years.
The ICC confirmed that the 2025 Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host, will also adopt the hybrid format. Matches featuring India will be held at a neutral venue outside Pakistan. The tournament’s detailed schedule will be released soon.
During the 2024-27 cycle, all India-Pakistan fixtures will take place at neutral venues. Pakistan will not travel to India for the 2025 and 2026 ICC events, and reciprocally, matches involving Pakistan in India-hosted tournaments will also be staged on neutral ground. This approach extends to all ICC events through 2027.
In a significant development, Pakistan has been awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028. However, matches involving teams with bilateral travel restrictions will also be shifted to neutral venues.
The ICC spokesperson highlighted that Cricket Australia will host women’s ICC events between 2029 and 2031, ensuring a consistent global rotation of hosting duties.
This announcement marks a significant milestone for Pakistan, as the country will host a major ICC event for the first time since the 1996 ODI World Cup and the 2008 Asia Cup. The Champions Trophy 2025 matches will be held from February 19 to March 19 across three iconic Pakistani cities—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
Notably, Pakistan will enter the tournament as defending champions, having last won the Champions Trophy in 2017 under the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed.
