PCB Gets Trolled After Reports Of India's Champions Trophy 2025 Matches To Be Played In The UAE

A major piece of news regarding the Champions Trophy 2025 is that India’s matches are likely to be shifted out from Pakistan to the UAE.

Pakistan is slated to host the Champions Trophy 2025. However, with the Indian team unlikely to be given touring permission, either India’s matches, and the semifinal and final, will be shifted to another country – UAE, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are the options – or the entire tournament could be moved out.

Last year, the Asia Cup 2023 was hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a hybrid manner with all of India’s matches and the final played in Sri Lanka while Pakistan kept the hosting rights.

A hybrid model is very likely going to be used for the Champions Trophy 2025 as well with India playing their games in the UAE – a likely venue – or Sri Lanka, and other teams flying in and out from Pakistan.

According to a report in PTI, India’s matches are likely to be played in the UAE. This also means that at least one semi-final and the final would be slated for the UAE, and not Pakistan. In the Asia Cup, too, last year, the final was slated to be hosted in Colombo, regardless of whether Pakistan reached it or not.

A member of the ICC’s executive board told PTI that a “hybrid model” for the Champions Trophy 2025 is being considered with Pakistan and UAE hosting the matches. The tournament is scheduled for scheduled for February-March 2025.

An ICC official recently spoke on India’s firm stance by saying: “Don’t forget threat perception for an Indian cricket team would always be higher compared to Australia, England and New Zealand.”

This news led to some trolling of the PCB.