The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will serve as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Cricbuzz has reported.
The decision was finalized following a meeting between Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan, chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), and Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the PCB.
Dubai has emerged as the likely host city for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, which is expected to take place on February 23, 2025.
While the PCB had also considered Sri Lanka as a neutral venue, it ultimately opted for the UAE.
ICC’s Neutral Venue Policy for India-Pakistan Matches
Earlier, the ICC Board approved a neutral venue policy for India-Pakistan matches in ICC events (which are to be hosted in India or Pakistan) during the current rights cycle (2024–2027).
This includes the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (Pakistan), ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (India), and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (India and Sri Lanka).
The PCB has also been awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where similar neutral venue arrangements will apply.
While the venue for the India-Pakistan clash appears set, the match schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
The India-Pakistan rivalry is one of the most-watched events in world cricket, and the decision to host their matches at neutral venues reflects ongoing political and diplomatic challenges.
With UAE now set to host the high-voltage clash, fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the showdown in February.
