The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in coordination with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has reportedly reached an agreement for the Champions Trophy 2025 to be conducted under a hybrid model.
According to a report, Pakistan will host 10 games, while all of India’s matches, including the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash, will take place in Dubai.
Under the proposed arrangement:
· Pakistan will host 10 matches across Lahore and Rawalpindi.
· India’s games, including the high-stakes match against Pakistan, will be played in Dubai.
· If India is eliminated during the league stages, the knockout matches will return to Pakistan, with Lahore and Rawalpindi being the likely venues.
The hybrid model reflects ongoing tensions between the BCCI and PCB, with both boards agreeing in principle that their teams will not travel to each other’s countries for ICC events. Reports indicate:
· For the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s matches against India will be played in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the event.
· PCB will not receive compensation for the changes to the 2025 Champions Trophy hosting rights but has reportedly secured the hosting rights for an ICC Women’s tournament after 2027.
Despite the reports, there is no official confirmation yet. A PTI report states that discussions are ongoing, with both India and Pakistan agreeing to avoid travel to the other country for ICC tournaments. Meanwhile, the PCB is reportedly pushing to host their games in Colombo, though venues for the semi-finals and final remain undecided.
