India-Pakistan will clash in this city, neutral venue has been decided

Champions Trophy 2025: The long-running dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the Champions Trophy 2025 has finally come to an end. Both the boards have accepted the ICC's hybrid model. Under this model, India will play its matches at neutral venues. The ICC has also confirmed this agreement, but the schedule of the tournament was not announced till now. The reason for this was the confusion regarding the selection of neutral venues for the Indian team's matches.

Consensus reached on Dubai, Colombo's choice got a setback

Initially, Sri Lanka's capital Colombo was being preferred by the PCB for the neutral venue. However, the BCCI had already named Dubai as its preferred option. After several rounds of discussions between the two parties, Dubai has now been finalized as the neutral venue. The PCB has also reached an agreement with the Emirates Cricket Board to organize the tournament.

Knockout and final matches will be played in Dubai

According to sources, the draft schedule of the tournament is ready, in which 8 teams will participate. Team India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh are in the same group. All the group matches of the Indian team will be played at the Dubai International Stadium. If Team India reaches the knockouts, then the semi-finals and final matches will also be held in Dubai. On the other hand, if India does not reach the final, then this match will be played in Lahore, Pakistan.

Changes in the way of hybrid model

It was not easy to agree on the hybrid model between BCCI and PCB. PCB was initially not ready for this model, but after the meetings between BCCI and ICC, the Pakistani board compromised. Now PCB has agreed with Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, head of the Emirates Cricket Board, to organize the tournament in Dubai.

Champions Trophy schedule will be announced soon

After discussions about the hybrid model and neutral venue, the schedule of the tournament is expected to be announced soon. The tournament will start from 19 February 2025 and the final will be played on 9 March.

Dubai: Ideal place for cricket lovers

The selection of Dubai is being considered an important step for cricket. The facilities of the Dubai International Stadium and its strategic location make it ideal for a neutral venue. Not only will Indian fans get a good experience here, but the tournament will also get global popularity.

Conclusion

The end of the disputes over the organization of the Champions Trophy 2025 and the selection of Dubai as a neutral venue is a big relief for cricket lovers. This agreement between India and Pakistan has increased the hopes of successful organization of the tournament. Now all that is awaited is the release of the official schedule of the tournament, which will further increase the excitement about this big festival of cricket.