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The ICC has reached a breakthrough in the ongoing dispute regarding the 2025 Champions Trophy, agreeing to a hybrid model to see India’s matches in the tournament played at a neutral venue. In return, Pakistan’s matches in events hosted by India will also be played at a neutral venue. This agreement was passed after a […]
The ICC has reached a breakthrough in the ongoing dispute regarding the 2025 Champions Trophy, agreeing to a hybrid model to see India’s matches in the tournament played at a neutral venue. In return, Pakistan’s matches in events hosted by India will also be played at a neutral venue. This agreement was passed after a vote by the ICC board and applies to the 2024-2027 event cycle.
The arrangement ensures that all matches involving India in events hosted by Pakistan will be played at neutral venues. In contrast, all matches involving Pakistan in events hosted by India will follow the same rule. This includes knockout games such as semifinals and finals. The agreement begins with the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan. It extends to other tournaments, including the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
In the 2026 T20 World Cup, any India-Pakistan games, whether group stage or knockout, will be held in Sri Lanka due to its co-hosting role. The 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in Pakistan, may also see India-Pakistan matches played at neutral venues. The host countries will choose the neutral venue, subject to ICC approval.
For the 2025 Champions Trophy, Pakistan will propose a neutral venue within 24 hours of the resolution being passed. The UAE is currently the frontrunner, though Sri Lanka is also possible. Despite the venue changes, Pakistan will retain full hosting rights for the event.
The resolution also mentions possibly organizing a triangular or quadrangular T20I tournament involving India, Pakistan, and another Full Member from Asia, including an Associate Asian nation if it becomes a quadrangular. This idea was believed to have been one of the key proposals pushed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) during negotiations. However, the ICC has stated that it will not object to such an event and that the same neutral venue arrangements as those in the ICC event model will apply. The resolution also specifies that no ICC director will publicly announce the tri-series, leaving the matter solely between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and PCB.
The resolution significantly relieves all parties, especially with the Champions Trophy’s start date approaching. The uncertainty surrounding the event began when the BCCI informed the ICC over a month ago that it would not travel to Pakistan, which led to intense negotiations between the PCB, BCCI, and the ICC. The strained political relations between India and Pakistan further complicated the situation, with both governments involved in the final approval process. Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chair, is also Pakistan’s interior minister. At the same time, Jay Shah, the ICC chairman, is the son of India’s home minister, Amit Shah.
These political complexities made the negotiations more challenging, but the resolution allowed both cricket boards to find a solution. Initially, the PCB had insisted on not adopting a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. However, after extensive talks, they eventually pushed for a more equitable long-term arrangement. The PCB will likely be pleased with the agreement to ensure that no matches will be played in India for the following two ICC events hosted by the country.
With the resolution in place, both cricket boards and the ICC can now proceed with the planning and execution of the upcoming tournaments, avoiding further disruption and uncertainty.
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Captain Nathan Ellis’ all-round performance proved insufficient as Hobart Hurricanes were bowled out for their lowest-ever BBL total, suffering a humiliating six-wicket defeat to Melbourne Renegades in Geelong. Asked to bat first, the Hurricanes were skittled for just 74 at GMHBA Stadium in less than 13 overs, well below their previous lowest total of 91 against Sydney Sixers in 2015. The Renegades, led by a brilliant performance from New Zealand’s Tim Seifert, chased down the target in just nine overs, with Seifert remaining unbeaten on 37.
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