It had already been confirmed that the ICC Champions Trophy would take place early in the new year. However, a dispute arose over where the tournament would be held, as the BCCI refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan. This led to uncertainty, but the matter has now been resolved. It is now clear whether India will play its matches in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy.
After prolonged negotiations, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to host the tournament under a hybrid model, according to ESPNcricinfo. Under this model, India will play its matches at a neutral venue, while the rest of the matches will be held in Pakistan.
The PCB is expected to propose the neutral venue for India’s matches, which will need to be approved by the ICC. The announcement of the venue is expected soon.
The ICC Champions Trophy will be followed by the Women’s ODI World Cup in India later in 2025. In 2026, the Men’s T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
This means that India will not travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, nor will Pakistan visit India for the Women’s ODI World Cup that year. Similarly, in the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s matches are likely to take place in Sri Lanka.
A hybrid model could also be used for the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan. Given the current tensions, India might again refuse to send its team to Pakistan for that tournament.
For the upcoming Champions Trophy, the UAE, specifically Sharjah and Dubai, is the frontrunner to host India’s matches at the neutral venue.