The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the 2025 Men’s ICC Champions Trophy will be hosted in Pakistan, with matches between India and Pakistan scheduled to take place at neutral venues.
This arrangement is part of a broader strategy for the 2024-2027 ICC events cycle, addressing ongoing political tensions between the two nations.
The ICC confirmed that during this period, matches between India and Pakistan at ICC events will be played at neutral venues. This includes the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
The 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled for February and March, will feature eight teams: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and hosts Pakistan. Pakistan will aim to defend their title, which they won in 2017 by defeating India in the final.
India and Pakistan, who last played a bilateral series in 2012-13, now primarily meet in ICC events and Asia Cups due to strained political relations. The schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025 is expected to be confirmed soon.
(With an agency input)
