The high-stakes India vs. Pakistan clash in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will be played in the UAE on February 23. This much-awaited match, along with India’s other group games, was confirmed after discussions between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, head of the Emirates Cricket Board. The UAE was chosen as a neutral venue for India’s group-stage matches.

India is placed in a competitive group with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. The tournament will begin with India facing Bangladesh on February 20, followed by the iconic India vs. Pakistan encounter on February 23, and then India will play New Zealand on March 2, all expected to take place in Dubai.

The defending champions, Pakistan, will begin their campaign on February 19 against New Zealand in Karachi. Pakistan’s final group match will be against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.

The semi-finals, set for March 4 and 5, and the final on March 9, will be held at neutral venues, ensuring that any knockout matches involving India will take place in the UAE. This hybrid model, which applies to several future ICC events, guarantees neutral venues for India and Pakistan matches until 2027, including the Women’s 2025 World Cup and the Men’s 2026 T20 World Cup.