India will co-host the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka and host the women’s ODI World Cup in October of this year from 2025 to 2027.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), led by Jay Shah, and its member associations have “agreed in principle” to move forward with a hybrid approach of hosting the Champions Trophy 2025, according to a report published Thursday night by news agency PTI, which cited sources. But there was a catch. Up until 2027, all ICC events will employ a comparable “hybrid model” of hosting. Next year, in February or March, the 2025 Champions Trophy will take place. According to the report, which cited a senior ICC source, the decision was essentially made at an informal meeting held Thursday at the organization’s headquarters in Dubai between the Board of Directors, which includes Pakistan, and the new President Jay Shah.
Pakistan requested a reciprocal deal for itself until 2031, even as it withdrew its boycott threat and agreed to go hybrid at the previous ICC meeting last week. But until 2027, the ICC has committed to using a hybrid approach for all of its events.
“All parties have agreed in principle that the 2025 Champions Trophy will take place in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, with India hosting its matches in Dubai. All parties involved benefit from it,” the ICC source told PTI.
But not everyone could view it as a “win-win” situation for the BCCI.
India will co-host the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka and host the women’s ODI World Cup in October of this year from 2025 to 2027.
If Pakistan had objected in 2026, even in the absence of a hybrid model, they would not have been forced to visit India given the hosting arrangement. Many supporters may be greatly disappointed if the aforementioned news is accurate because it will prevent India from playing its important match against Pakistan at home.
As the only host of an ICC event, it would be unique for an Indian team to have to travel to another nation to play its “home” match.
Pakistan’s matches at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in Sri Lanka. The source informed PTI that the compensation the PCB is requesting for the Champions Trophy hybrid model is still being considered.
If this plan is accepted, the Indian women’s team will have to travel to a neutral location in order to play their league match against Pakistan, if the schedule—which has not yet been released—requires it. Since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed over 150 lives, India has not visited Pakistan. In 2012, they had their most recent bilateral interaction.
The ICC has repeatedly maintained that it does not anticipate any member board to disregard national travel advice, and their most recent refusal to travel has been attributed to security concerns.
