UAE Chosen as Neutral Venue for India’s Matches in CT 2025
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially selected the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. This decision comes after a key meeting between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan, held in Sanghar, Sindh province, Pakistan. Al Nahyan is currently on a tour of Pakistan, and their agreement confirms that Dubai will host the high-profile India-Pakistan clash, most likely on February 23, 2025.
The UAE was preferred over Sri Lanka due to its larger capacity, with Dubai chosen for its size and infrastructure, while Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are also available as alternate venues. "The PCB has formally informed the ICC about this decision," a PCB spokesperson confirmed. "India and Pakistan’s Champions Trophy matches will now take place in the UAE."
This announcement follows the International Cricket Council's (ICC) earlier approval on December 19 for neutral venues for India-Pakistan encounters during global events from 2024 to 2027. As per the ICC Board's decision, the tournament hosts will determine the neutral venue for matches between India and Pakistan. This applies to the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The decision brings an end to months of uncertainty regarding the Champions Trophy, which began after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that India would not travel to Pakistan for the tournament. With the venue now confirmed, the stage is set for the unveiling of the final schedule for the eight-team competition, expected to be announced by the ICC on Monday.
Key Highlights:
- PCB selects UAE as the neutral venue for India’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches.
- Dubai will host the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on February 23.
- UAE’s capacity and infrastructure make it the preferred choice over Sri Lanka.
- The ICC had approved neutral venues for India-Pakistan games at global events from 2024-2027.
