Dubai locked as venue for Pak vs Ind matches

The Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) cricket captains have agreed on Dubai as the neutral venue for the Pakistan-India match of the upcoming Champions Trophy.

This decision is in line with the “fusion formula” established by the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to a media report.

The consensus was reached in a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Emirates Cricket Committee (ECC) Chairman Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan at night. The report said the Board of Control for Cricket in India had been forwarded the decision.

“Pakistan has chosen Dubai as the neutral venue for the Champions Trophy and it has been officially transferred to the ICC, which means India will play their matches there,” a PCB spokesperson said. The ICC is expected to announce the final tournament schedule later next week.

On December 13, the ICC had approved the ‘fusion formula’ proposed by Pakistan for the Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 and the upcoming events, to be hosted by either Pakistan or India. As a result, India would play their matches in the eight-team tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In return, the Green Shirts will not travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and so their matches will also be played in Sri Lanka – the co-host of the tournament – ​​including the Pakistan-India blockbuster.

Pakistan will host the eight-team ICC Men’s Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9. Apart from Pakistan and India, the tournament will also feature Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Although the schedule of the event was yet to be announced, the high-octane match between Pakistan and India is likely to be played on February 23 in Dubai, sources said.

During the meeting between Naqvi and Al Nahayan, the two sides reached a consensus to lock in the UAE as the neutral venue for the Champions Trophy. Some reports said that the ICC will provide Pakistan with an additional $4.5 million to cover the cost of hosting India’s matches outside Pakistan.

In preparation, the National Stadium in Karachi was being renovated for the upcoming mega event which, according to the sources, will start the tournament with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19.

The PCB chief visited the stadium late on Saturday night and inspected the work on different floors. He directed to expedite the installation of the sheet music screen and LED lights. He was advised that the LED lights are being installed and that a new screen will be installed by January 25th.

Naqvi said the new stadium building would be completed within a month, with parking space for 2,700 vehicles. He added that the stadium fences were replaced to avoid obstructing the view of the live action during the games.

“A tri-nation series could be hosted at the National Stadium ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy,” he announced. The sources said that before the start of the tournament, there will be a six-day support period from February 12 to 18 for team arrivals, training and other preparations.

As per the trial schedule of the tournament, three matches will be played in Rawalpindi and Karachi, while Lahore will host five matches, including a semi-final and the final. The Pakistan-India matches, if India qualify for the final, are expected to be played at the neutral venue, Dubai.

However, if India do not reach the final, the final will be held in Lahore on March 9, with one reserve for the match. This schedule sets the stage for an exciting tournament, with Pakistan hosting domestic international cricket alongside neutral venue matches.