Champions Trophy: Because Pakistan was reluctant to travel, India’s neutral venue is the United Arab Emirates.
- PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi meets with Sheikh Nahyan, the head of the UAE Cricket Board, to make a decision.
- Picture
- On September 11, 2023, during the Asia Cup 2023 super four ODI match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Indian players celebrate after dismissing a Pakistani batter. — AFP
- Mohsin Naqvi meets Sheikh Nahyan, the head of the Emirate Cricket Board.
- The two choose a neutral location for the Champions Trophy games.
Karachi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly been selected as the neutral location for the Blue Shirts’ fixtures in the Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by Pakistan next year, potentially putting an end to the current ambiguity surrounding India’s Champions Trophy matches.
According to reliable sources who spoke to Geo News on Sunday, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the head of the UAE Cricket Board, and Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), met in Ghotki on Saturday night and resolved the issue of a neutral location.
The news comes less than a day after Naqvi declared that a judgment would be made on the topic by today.
- | December 22, 2024 On September 11, 2023, during the Asia Cup 2023 super four ODI match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Indian players celebrate after dismissing a Pakistani batter. — AFP
- Mohsin Naqvi meets Sheikh Nahyan, the head of the Emirate Cricket Board.
- The two choose a neutral location for the Champions Trophy games.
- India will use the hybrid method to play games outside of Pakistan.
Karachi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly been selected as the neutral location for the Blue Shirts’ fixtures in the Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by Pakistan next year, potentially putting an end to the current ambiguity surrounding India’s Champions Trophy matches.
According to sources who spoke to Geo News on Sunday, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the head of the UAE Cricket Board, and Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), met in Ghotki on Saturday night and resolved the issue of a neutral location.
The news comes less than a day after Naqvi declared that a judgment would be made on the topic by today.
India will play its matches at a neutral location instead of the host nation as part of a hybrid approach for the Men’s 2025 Champions Trophy, which was revealed earlier this week by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Photographed with Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE Cricket Board, is PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi (right). — Reporter
Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan because of political unrest and security concerns, the matter had been a source of controversy between the PCB and the BCCI.
After settling on the stipulation that both teams will play their matches at neutral venues for all upcoming matches hosted by either nation until 2027, the PCB eventually changed their mind about playing the Champions Trophy in a so-called hybrid format.
Nevertheless, following extensive discussion and consideration by the ICC and both parties, a consensus was achieved.
Under the agreement, the neutral venue arrangement would also apply to the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, whose hosting rights have been granted to Pakistan. This agreement will also apply to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which will be hosted by India.
It is important to note that the Indian government has banned the national cricket team from visiting Pakistan for bilateral matches for over a decade.
Only ICC multi-national competitions, including the ODI and T20 World Cups, bring the bitter rivals together; their most recent bilateral series took place in 2012–13 when Pakistan visited India.
India hasn’t played a bilateral series across Pakistan since their 2008 Asia Cup visit.