New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday approved the hybrid model for next year’s Champions Trophy, ending a month-long impasse over the venue of the competition. This means that hosts and defending champions Pakistan will face India at a neutral venue which is yet to be decided.

“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the board confirmed of the ICC,” said a statement issued by the global body.

The Champions Trophy will bring together eight teams – Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa – divided into two groups of four followed by semi-finals and a final.

India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the event due to security concerns. PCB had earlier refused to play the Champions Trophy under the hybrid model, but backed out after choosing neutral venues for both teams in the ICC tournaments.

The hybrid model will also extend to next year’s Women’s World Cup to be held in India and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. In both competitions, the hybrid model will also apply to knockout matches.

Pakistan will also host the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, the first tournament of the next cycle of events, and it remains to be seen whether the hybrid model will extend to that competition as well.

The last edition of the Champions Trophy took place in 2017, won by Pakistan after beating India in the final.

The current arrangement means a Champions Trophy semi-final and final will also have to be held at neutral venues – possibly in the UAE or Sri Lanka – if India qualifies. Pakistan, it is learned, has remained open to the two alternative sites, although the United Arab Emirates is considered the favorite.

PCB, which will retain full hosting rights to the event, must offer a venue within 24 hours of the adoption of the resolution. It will then be approved by the ICC before the final schedule is announced.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram described the decision as “the best solution” but a loss for his country’s young cricket fans.

“Like millions of Pakistani fans, I would have liked the entire tournament to be played in Pakistan and India to tour our country,” Akram told AFP. “But if it’s the solution, then it’s the best.”

“This is not a victory for any country, but I am saddened that it is a loss for millions of Pakistani Gen Z fans who wanted to see (Virat) Kohli, Rohit (Sharma), (Rishabh) Pant, (Jasprit ) Bumrah play in their country.”

As for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the hosts BCCI had requested the PCB to make an exception and let their team travel to India. ICC women’s events are run on a smaller budget and a hybrid model can be costly. However, Thursday’s resolution makes it clear that the India-Pakistan meetings will take place outside the country.

In the behind-the-scenes negotiations, the biggest concession the BCCI is said to have made is agreeing for the Indian team to travel to Colombo for the India-Pakistan encounter in the 2026 T20 World Cup. With Star broadcasters shelling out a huge sum of $750 million per ICC event in the current cycle, it’s a less than ideal scenario for the best-selling competition, but a decision that ultimately played its part in PCB’s official membership with the hybrid. formula.

Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year in a hybrid model with India’s matches and the final in Sri Lanka. They did, however, travel to India for the ODI World Cup later that year. India last visited Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup, while the Asian giants last played a bilateral white-ball series in 2012-13, in India.

The decision was in line with expectations after the ICC sat on the contentious issue in the previous meeting led by Greg Barclay. This progress marks the first major decision of the mandate of Jay Shah, who took office on December 1.

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