The long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan over the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy appears close to resolution, with both sides reportedly agreeing to play their matches at neutral venues for ICC tournaments hosted by either country, according to sources and reports on Thursday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had proposed a “fusion formula” for a hybrid model, where India’s matches in a Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy would be shifted to a neutral venue. In return, Pakistan demanded a similar arrangement for ICC events held in India. After extensive discussions, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to have accepted the proposal, with a breakthrough coming on Thursday evening after a previously scheduled meeting was delayed due to the lack of a clear response from the BCCI.
By late evening, sources confirmed that the BCCI had agreed in principle.
According to India’s PTI news agency, the 2025 Champions Trophy will be co-hosted by Pakistan and the UAE, with India’s matches scheduled to be played in Dubai. This agreement is expected to apply to all ICC events through 2027.
India is set to host the Women’s ODI World Cup in October 2024 and the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, the latter in collaboration with Sri Lanka. Pakistan has insisted on a reciprocal hybrid arrangement for these events in India, which would also see neutral venues used for Pakistan’s matches.
Despite the positive developments, the PCB has emphasized the need for formal written guarantees from the International Cricket Council (ICC), rather than just the BCCI, to ensure the hybrid model is implemented without complications. “The PCB wants assurance from the ICC, not the BCCI, that the hybrid model will be fully operational,” a source close to the negotiations said. “Everything needs to be documented clearly to avoid future issues.” The PCB has requested that this arrangement be included in the host agreements for future events.
Additionally, the PCB has proposed the possibility of organizing a tri-series between India and Pakistan at neutral venues in the future, with locations like England and Australia under consideration. While the BCCI has not formally responded to this idea, it remains on the table.
A final agreement is expected to be reached within the next 48 hours, as the ICC Board is scheduled to meet on December 7. The arrangement will need formal approval from the ICC and inclusion in the host agreements to ensure it is binding on all member boards.
