ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally approved that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the neutral venue of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, after India raised security concerns about travelling to Pakistan.
The PCB said in a statement on Sunday that it had officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) of the decision. Consequently, all the matches of India including the much-hyped one against Pakistan will now be held in the UAE.
The deal was concluded following the top-level talks between the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Chairman of the UAE Cricket Board, who is on an official visit to Pakistan. It is said that Sheikh Nahyan played a vital role in the signing of the agreement.
The ruling follows the earlier this week confirmation by the ICC that India would not come to Pakistan to take part in the tournament due to the continued security concerns. Rather, the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have settled on a hybrid hosting model that will apply to all ICC tournaments hosted by the two countries in the 20242027 events cycle.
The model will also be used in the 2025 ICC Women Cricket World Cup that will be hosted in India and the 2026 ICC Men T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted in India and Sri Lanka.
Already a major international cricket center, the UAE is likely to remain the epicentre of hosting major matches, including the India-Pakistan games. It is expected that the change will affect the logistical planning and fan engagement, although the officials are sure that the proven infrastructure and experience of the UAE make it an appropriate alternative.
