Champions Trophy 2025: ICC confirms hybrid model, India vs Pakistan matches at neutral venues in 2024-27 cycle

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday (19 December) confirmed that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be hosted in a hybrid model with all matches, except for those of India, being played in Pakistan. The global cricketing body also announced that the “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle” will be played at a neutral venue.

This clears the doubts hanging over Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, which will now go ahead as planned in February and March 2025, with India matches taking place at a neutral venue. The ICC also announced that the entire schedule for Champions Trophy 2025 will be “confirmed soon”.

As per the draft schedule, the eight-team tournament will be played from 19 February to 9 March. Apart from hosts Pakistan, the remaining seven teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.

India and Pakistan hosted ICC events to follow hybrid model

The new formula of both India and Pakistan playing their ICC events matches during the 2024-2027 rights cycle at a neutral venue will also apply to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka). This means the Pakistan women’s and men’s teams will not travel to India for the ICC events and play their matches at a neutral venue.

The ICC awarded the hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028 to Pakistan on Thursday. This tournament will also follow the neutral venue arrangements.

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Champions Trophy uncertainty finally ends

The Thursday breakthrough brings an end to the uncertainty hanging over the Champions Trophy 2025 since the start of November when it was reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the tournament due to security issues.

While many expected the Champions Trophy 2025 will be hosted in a Hybrid Model as Asia Cup 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stuck to its guns and has finally managed to secure a deal that offers them the same option as Team India.

While both cricket boards have emerged as winners from the latest fiasco, it’s the fans who have lost. They won’t be able to see their team take on their arch-rivals in their own backyard.