The much-awaited India vs Pakistan match at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will reportedly take place on Sunday, December 23 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a neutral venue due to the ongoing tensions going on between the two countries, as per ESPNCricinfo. (More Cricket News)
The match, that will be watched by millions worldwide, is part of the tournament that is hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with the UAE chosen as the secondary venue.
India will play it's group matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand, on February 20 and March 2, respectively.
All of India's matches are expected to be held in Dubai. As for Pakistan, they will begin the tournament against the Kiwis on February 19 at Karachi, with the final group-game against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
The decision finally marks the end around the uncertainty surrounding the hosting rights for the CT 2025.
Jay Shah, who is the new ICC Chairman, adopted the new hybrid model for the major ICC tournaments from 2024-2027, which will held in either India or Pakistan, with neutral venues wherever necessary.
The PCB has picked the UAE as a neutral venue for the Champions Trophy," PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. This follows after a meeting between PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and UAE minister Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, who also heads the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).
The ICC 2025 Champions Trophy features eight teams: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa.
