The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to a hybrid model for India’s matches in the ICC Champions Trophy following a month-long uncertainty over a neutral venue.
The BCCI refused to tour Pakistan, the official hosts for the eight-team tournament which runs from February 19 to March 9, citing security concerns.
It has now been decided after an ICC board meeting that India’s matches will take place in the UAE because of logistical convenience though the PCB has been pressing for Sri Lanka as the venue. The final schedule will be announced soon.
The ICC board also approved that both India and Pakistan will follow the hybrid model and none would play their matches in either country at ICC events during the current rights cycle from 2024 to 2027. Besides the Champions Trophy 2025, this will also apply to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (India and Sri Lanka).
All matches, including the knockout games such as the semi-final and the final, will also be included in this agreement. Pakistan though haven’t yet qualified for next year’s Women’s World Cup.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had initially refused to accept the hybrid formula saying the BCCI should convey their reservations in writing. Following hectic parleys between the ICC, PCB and the BCCI, Pakistan has now been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028 as a compromise formula. The hybrid arrangement will also apply to this tournament.
There is also a possibility that the BCCI and the PCB may agree to a T20I tri-series at a neutral venue as part of their negotiations to end the impasse.
The PCB has been insisting on such an arrangement as a means to make up for the loss suffered due to India’s refusal to tour their country. But finding a suitable window for such a tri-series could be a tough task for the BCCI.
The UAE is expected to host three India league matches in the Champions Trophy along with one of the semi-finals and the final.
It is understood that the choice of neutral venue will have to be approved by the ICC. The BCCI, however, will not need to sweat much over the choice in 2026 since Sri Lanka are the co-hosts.
The governments of both countries are believed to have given their approvals before the concerned parties reached a breakthrough on the Champions Trophy. The standoff escalated into a major crisis once BCCI secretary Jay Shah took over as ICC chairman earlier this month.
The ICC board had met briefly late last month but was adjourned after the PCB refused to accept the hybrid proposal. The PCB then staged a climbdown within 24 hours after the ICC threatened to relocate the tournament if they didn’t fall in line.
That was followed by a fresh set of demands from the PCB and several rounds of negotiations finally resulted in finding a solution to the impasse.
The event also features Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. India are placed in Group A with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand.
