Champions Trophy 2025: India and Pakistan to play at neutral venue after ICC ruling on matches until 2027 – Sky Sports

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Matches between India and Pakistan in ICC events until 2027 to be played at neutral venues; ICC to confirm match schedule for Champions Trophy, which starts in February live on Sky Sports, in the “coming days”
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:26, UK
India will face host nation Pakistan at a neutral venue at the Champions Trophy in February, the International Cricket Council has announced.
The ICC has confirmed all matches between the two countries in ICC tournaments, both men and women’s and including next year’s Women’s World Cup, will be played at neutral venues up until at least 2027.
First up is the Champions Trophy in the new year, with Pakistan staging a global cricket event for the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. The eight-team tournament is scheduled for February 19-March 9, live on Sky Sports.
Political tensions between the two nations have led to strained sporting relations and India, cricket’s richest and most powerful country, have not played a game in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.
An ICC statement read: “The ICC Board has approved that matches between India and Pakistan played at ICC events during the current rights cycle from 2024 to 2027 (which are to be hosted in India or Pakistan) will be played at a neutral venue proposed by the tournament host.
“This will apply to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (Pakistan), ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (India and Sri Lanka).
“In addition, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply.
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“Cricket Australia has also been awarded hosting rights for one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period 2029 to 2031.
“The match schedule for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be confirmed on the coming days.”
Talks at ICC board level have been ongoing but because of India’s financial leverage their participation was not in question.
More to follow…
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