The ICC has reached an agreement to resolve the dispute surrounding the 2025 Champions Trophy, involving a hybrid model for the tournament. Under this agreement, India’s matches will be played at a neutral venue, and in return, Pakistan’s matches with India at ICC events hosted in India will also take place at neutral venues.
The new arrangement applies to several events in the 2024-2027 cycle. This includes the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan, the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India, and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which India and Sri Lanka will jointly host. The agreement could also apply to the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, which Pakistan will host.
The neutral venues for these matches will be proposed by the host board and must be approved by the ICC. This development also opens the door for a potential triangular T20I series involving India, Pakistan, and another Asian Full Member nation (or an Associate nation, making it a quadrangular). Such a series could be held at a neutral venue as a compromise for Pakistan losing the opportunity to host India’s matches in the Champions Trophy.
This decision marks a significant step in ensuring smooth conduct of ICC events, with the hybrid model providing a solution to the longstanding political tensions between India and Pakistan in international cricket. The proposal is set to undergo an ICC board vote soon, and if passed, it will reshape the way future ICC tournaments are held.
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