Dubai has been officially designated as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the upcoming Champions Trophy, with the semi-finals and final also set to take place in the UAE, should Rohit Sharma and his team successfully qualify for the knockout rounds. This crucial development was confirmed by a reliable source within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), following an important meeting between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak on Saturday night. The decision was made after a series of discussions on the logistical and administrative matters for the event, which will be hosted by Pakistan.
Sheikh Nahyan, who is currently vacationing in the Ghotki region of Sindh, and Naqvi, who also holds the position of interior minister of Pakistan, met to finalize these key arrangements for the much-anticipated mega event. The deadlock regarding the hosting of the Champions Trophy was finally broken earlier this week when the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that India will play their matches in the 50-over tournament at a neutral venue, rather than in Pakistan. This arrangement is part of a broader agreement in which Pakistan will also be allowed to play in neutral venues for tournaments hosted in India until 2027. The agreement reflects the complex relationship between the two nations, with security concerns and political tensions often complicating bilateral engagements.
The confirmation of Dubai as the neutral venue has provided a sense of clarity for the upcoming event, allowing both India and Pakistan to move forward with planning. The ICC is expected to release the final schedule for the Champions Trophy soon, with Pakistan set to host between nine and ten matches. In the event that India does not qualify for the final, the title match is slated to take place in Lahore. This hybrid arrangement, which involves neutral venues for India and Pakistan in each other’s territories, is not limited to the Champions Trophy 2025. It will also apply to the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India next year and the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, scheduled for February and March, stems from longstanding security concerns. The two nations have not engaged in bilateral cricket since 2012, and India has consistently refused to send its teams to Pakistan, especially after the tragic 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which more than 150 people were killed. Furthermore, traveling to Pakistan requires clearance from the Indian government, which has remained firm in maintaining the current stance. This decision underscores the continuing challenges surrounding India-Pakistan cricket relations, particularly in the context of international events. By hosting India’s matches in Dubai, the ICC has created a pathway to ensure the tournament goes ahead while also addressing the sensitivities surrounding the security and diplomatic issues between the two countries.
While the hybrid arrangement ensures the smooth execution of the tournament, it also highlights the growing complexity of global sports events in politically charged environments. The shift to neutral venues in this case is not only a practical solution but also a reflection of the broader geopolitical challenges that continue to influence international cricket. Despite these hurdles, the decision to proceed with the Champions Trophy, involving both India and Pakistan, brings a sense of excitement and anticipation to cricket fans around the world, with hopes that the matches will foster sportsmanship and camaraderie amid the ongoing political tensions. The outcome of this event, and its impact on future engagements, will likely play a crucial role in shaping the future of cricket diplomacy between the two nations.
