India will play at a neutral site and not go to Pakistan for Champions Trophy cricket

ISLAMABAD (AP) — India will not play cricket in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy next year.

All of India’s games will be at a neutral venue, including if it reaches the semifinals and final, the International Cricket Council confirmed on Thursday.

In a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan will not play in India in ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle. Pakistan will also go to a neutral venue when India hosts the 2025 Women’s World Cup and co-hosts the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka.

India refused more than a month ago to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, the eight-team, 50-overs tournament.

The ICC on Thursday did not reveal where India will play its games, but Dubai, Dhaka and Colombo are the front-runners.

Political tensions between Pakistan and India have prevented their teams from touring each other’s country since 2012, when Pakistan went to India for a bilateral one-day international series.

Both teams face each other regularly in ICC tournaments — Pakistan went to India last year for the men’s World Cup. But before the World Cup, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and played all of its games in Sri Lanka.

This hybrid model was initially refused by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but as recompense the ICC gave Pakistan the 2028 women’s T20 World Cup.

The Champions Trophy schedule will be announced “in the coming days,” the ICC said.

Defending champion Pakistan, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, South Africa and Afghanistan will participate.