ICC confirms 'Hybrid' model for Champions Trophy 2025; PCB gets Women's T20 World Cup 2028 hosting rights in compensation

The much-awaited decision has finally come, and all the speculation surrounding the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has ended. After the delay of almost a month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally succeeded in getting both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the same page.

On Thursday, the ICC announced, "ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 to be played across Pakistan and a neutral venue." That clears that India will not travel to Pakistan, and all their matches will be held at a neutral venue. Though the neutral venue has not been shortlisted, it is likely to be either in the UAE or Sri Lanka.

Not just group matches; if India make it to the knockout, the semifinal and final will also be played at a neutral venue. But this is not it. Until 2027, all the India vs Pakistan matches that are scheduled to be played in the ICC events will be played at a neutral venue if these two countries are the hosts.

The statement added, "India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue." These ICC events are the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2025 in India, and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

ICC gifts Pakistan with ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2028 rights in compensation.

India have not traveled to Pakistan since 2005. These two teams don't play bilateral series anymore and only play in ICC or ACC events. Hence, they denied traveling to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This deadlock became the headache of the ICC for more than a month. Finally, they have conceived both the boards.

However, in compensation, the ICC has awarded the PCB with the hosting rights of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2028, which will also apply a neutral venue for the Indian women's team. They confirmed in the statement, "It was also announced that the PCB has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply."

Pakistan will enter the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as the defending champion. The tournament will feature the top eight teams. India and Pakistan are part of the same group. The schedule has been delayed by almost a month, but the ICC confirmed that it will be announced shortly. According to the proposed schedule, the event is set to be played between 19 February and 9 March 2025.

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