The UAE will host India’s matches in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. This decision resolves the uncertainty around India’s participation.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and UAE Cricket Board’s Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan finalized this in Ghotki. This announcement followed Naqvi’s statement that a decision was imminent.
The ICC announced a hybrid model for the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy earlier. This model allows India to play at neutral venues due to security and political concerns. The BCCI had earlier refused to send their team to Pakistan.
Initially, the PCB opposed the hybrid model but agreed to neutral venues for all future matches until 2027. Both boards and the ICC reached this consensus, as documented in a December 19 ICC statement.
This agreement also applies to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, and the Women’s T20 World Cup 2028.
India has not participated in bilateral events in Pakistan for over a decade. They last toured Pakistan for the 2008 Asia Cup and have only met in ICC events since then.
