India will compete in next year’s ICC Champions Trophy on neutral ground, avoiding a trip to host nation Pakistan due to security concerns and political tensions. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the decision on Thursday, resolving weeks of deliberations between the two nations.
According to an IANS report, India and Pakistan are slated to face each other on February 23, 2025, with Colombo and Dubai being considered as potential venues for India’s matches. “India will take on Pakistan at a neutral venue on February 23, 2025. ICC looking at Colombo and Dubai to host their matches,” sources told IANS.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled for February and March 2025, with the final schedule to be announced soon. The ICC’s decision ended a prolonged standoff after India refused to send its team to Pakistan. Initially resistant to a hybrid model, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later agreed to neutral venues for both teams in ICC tournaments.
An ICC statement confirmed, “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue,” applying to the Champions Trophy and subsequent tournaments, including the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan, the defending champions of the Champions Trophy, last defeated India by 180 runs in the 2017 final. The two teams last met in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where India triumphed by six runs, later securing the title.
India and Pakistan’s cricket rivalry remains limited to international events like the World Cups and Asia Cup due to strained relations. Their last bilateral series took place in 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series.
