ICC Confirms Hybrid Model for 2025 Champions Trophy, PCB to Host 10 Matches in Pakistan
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy. India's matches in this big tournament will be played in Dubai. The eight-team ODI tournament will begin on February 19 and the final will be played on March 9.
Venues of 2025 Champions Trophy
The tournament will be hosted by the PCB and 10 matches will be held in Pakistan. All three of India's league matches, including the high-voltage match between India and Pakistan, will be held in Dubai. Apart from this, the semi-finals and final will also be played in Dubai. However, if India are eliminated from the tournament after the league stage, the semi-finals and final will be held in Lahore and Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
PCB and BCCI sign agreement on T20 World Cup 2026
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had demanded from the ICC that if India does not come to Pakistan to participate in the tournament hosted by them, then they will also not go to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The PCB proposed that their matches be held in Colombo. The BCCI has verbally agreed to this demand, but no written agreement has been reached yet.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will be jointly organised by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the BCCI. Pakistan's league matches in this tournament will be played in Colombo. However, the final decision on the venue of the semi-finals and final has not been taken yet.
Historic opportunity for PCB
This will be the first ICC tournament to be hosted by the PCB after the 1996 World Cup. The ICC is expected to make an official announcement soon regarding this agreement between the PCB and the BCCI.
India last toured Pakistan in 2008 to play the Asia Cup under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Pakistan, on the other hand, travelled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they were ruled out of the tournament due to poor performances in the league matches. This included a crushing eight-wicket defeat from Afghanistan.