India will play their Champions Trophy 2025 matches in the UAE, as confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The decision came after a meeting between PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, the head of the Emirates Cricket Board and a senior UAE minister. This agreement designates the UAE as a neutral venue for the tournament.
India’s highly anticipated match against Pakistan will take place on February 23, a Sunday, in Dubai. India’s other group stage matches will be against Bangladesh on February 20 and New Zealand on March 2. The groups for the tournament are as follows:
Group A: Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand
Group B: Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa
Pakistan, the defending champions, will start their campaign on February 19 against New Zealand in Karachi. They will play their final group match against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.
The tournament will also feature two semi-finals, scheduled for March 4 and March 5, with March 9 set for the final. The semi-final involving India, if they qualify, will be held in the UAE. If India does not make it, the match will take place in Pakistan. The final is slated for Lahore, but if India is involved, it could be relocated to the UAE.
The hybrid model ensures that Pakistan’s matches in ICC events hosted by India will also be played at neutral venues until 2027. This agreement applies to several future tournaments, including the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
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