Having agreed to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in a hybrid model, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) now has to decide about the India—Pakistan match. The eight-team event was originally to be played across three cities: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. The mega event is scheduled from 19 February to 9 March.
Dubai to Stage India vs Pakistan Clash in Champions Trophy 2025
The India cricket team was originally slated to play at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. However, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) declining to send their team, the likelihood of an India-Pakistan clash in Lahore became negligible. Subsequent reports suggested that the much-anticipated encounter would be relocated to Dubai, UAE. These earlier speculations now appear to be validated. As per Cricket Pakistan, Dubai has secured hosting rights for the 2025 Champions Trophy and will also serve as the venue for all India-Pakistan matches over the next three years.
PCB’s Offering to ICC & BCCI
The high-profile India-Pakistan encounters in ICC events, including the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, are likely to be staged in Dubai, regardless of their original venues. While both tournaments are slated to take place in India, the women’s event will be held entirely there, with the men’s tournament co-hosted alongside Sri Lanka.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed Dubai as a neutral venue for India-Pakistan matches to the ICC and BCCI. Should both parties concur, the plan will proceed. The PCB has emphasized the need for a long-term resolution for scheduling such fixtures in ICC tournaments and has dismissed financial incentives as a motivator. “We don’t want money; we want respect,” a PCB official told Cricket Pakistan.
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
