The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that matches between archrivals India and Pakistan at ICC events will be held at neutral venues through 2027.
The decision comes amid ongoing political tensions between the two nations and clarifies arrangements for next year’s Champions Trophy.
This arrangement will apply to several major ICC tournaments, including:
The 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy, which is to be hosted by Pakistan.
The 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, hosted by India.
The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, to be held in Pakistan.
The ICC confirmed that the schedule for the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy will be released in the coming days.
India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the two nations face each other only during multi-team ICC or Asia Cup events. Political relations have remained strained, with the Indian cricket board (BCCI) citing government directives in refusing to send its team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year, but India played all its matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model.” Initially resistant to applying a similar arrangement for the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) agreed to the compromise under the condition that similar accommodations would be extended for ICC events hosted by India.
An India-Pakistan match remains one of the most anticipated contests in any ICC tournament, drawing millions of viewers worldwide. The rivalry, often influenced by political and diplomatic tensions, has intensified in recent years with the suspension of bilateral series.
The ICC’s decision also underscores the complex interplay between cricket and politics in the region. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, while Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary and now ICC chairman, is the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah.
As cricket fans eagerly await the release of the Champions Trophy schedule, the India-Pakistan rivalry is expected to remain a highlight, even on neutral grounds.
