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INDIA will face host nation Pakistan at a neutral venue at the Champions Trophy in February, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced.
The ICC has confirmed all matches between the two countries in its tournaments, both men and women’s and including next year’s Women’s World Cup, will be played at neutral venues up until at least 2027.
Political tensions between the two nations have led to strained sporting relations and India, cricket’s richest and most powerful country, have not played a game in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.
An ICC statement read: “The ICC Board has [on Friday] approved that matches between India and Pakistan played at ICC events during the current rights cycle from 2024 to 2027 (which are to be hosted in India or Pakistan) will be played at a neutral venue proposed by the tournament host.
“This will apply to 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).
“In addition, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply.
“Cricket Australia has also been awarded hosting rights for one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period 2029 to 2031.
“The match schedule for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be confirmed in the coming days.”
Talks at ICC board level have been ongoing but because of India’s financial leverage their participation was not in question.
In October, England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould said: “[Play] without India? I wouldn’t have thought so. If you play the Champions Trophy without India or Pakistan the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them.
“There’s geopolitics and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they’ll find a way. They have to find a way. There are always security concerns in this part of the world when those two countries play each other. That will probably drive the key decisions.”
