Champions Trophy 2025: India accepts PCB’s terms

DUBAI: In a major breakthrough, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s proposed hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025, Indian media reported on Friday.

According to the arrangement, matches will be hosted in Pakistan and Dubai, marking a diplomatic win for the PCB amid tense cricketing relations between the two countries.

The hybrid model ensures that India will not play its matches in Pakistan but at a neutral venue, while Pakistan will host other matches as planned.

The agreement came after prolonged negotiations, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) mediating between the two boards.

In another significant development, India has agreed to play its league-stage match against Pakistan during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at a neutral venue in Colombo, Sri Lanka, instead of hosting it on Indian soil. This fulfills one of PCB’s major demands.

While the PCB will not receive monetary compensation for relinquishing hosting rights of India’s matches, it has reportedly secured hosting rights for the ICC Women’s Tournament after 2027 as part of the settlement.

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The Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Matches will be played across three major Pakistani cities — Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi — along with Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s games.

Eight teams will compete in two groups, with the top two from each group progressing to the semi-finals.

This is the first ICC event that Pakistan will host since the ODI World Cup 1996 and the Asia Cup 2008. Pakistan is not only the host but also the defending champion as it won the last Champions Trophy in 2017 under the captaincy of Sarfraz Ahmed.

The decision to move forward with the hybrid model comes after months of deadlock, stemmed from the BCCI’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan, citing security and political concerns.

The PCB, on its part, maintained a firm stance on hosting rights and refused to entertain India’s initial proposal for a fully neutral venue. It proposed a hybrid formula under which group-stage matches would be hosted in Pakistan, with high-profile matches, including the India-Pakistan clash, and possibly the final, held in Dubai. If India does not reach the final, the PCB suggests Lahore as the venue.

The ICC, PCB, and BCCI have expressed satisfaction over the agreement, which allows for the smooth organization of the Champions Trophy 2025.

Moreover, cricket fans and analysts view this development as a step toward easing tensions between the two cricketing giants.