Champions Trophy 2025: 'India has always been dominant, and they got what they wanted', this former Pakistani cricketer said

pc: timesofindia

Speaking on India-Pakistan matches at ICC events being held at neutral venues, former Pakistani batsman and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said such an agreement should have been reached after the 2017 Champions Trophy. He said that ICC is developing a formula which will be beneficial for both the countries.

The International Cricket Council's executive board on Thursday confirmed that India-Pakistan matches will be hosted at neutral venues in all ICC events until 2027, including next year's Champions Trophy 2025.

Latif told IANS: “As per ICC rules, this agreement should have been made after the 2017 Champions Trophy, as Pakistan toured India in 2016. In 2023, Pakistan tours India and plays in the ODI World Cup. We also want Pakistan and India to tour each other's countries and play the 2023 Asia Cup, and we basically avoid playing each other. Pakistan has already visited India twice, so the people of Pakistan felt that India should have come.”

He said, “But the agreement that has been reached now is for a long term, where India and Pakistan will play matches at neutral venues. To ensure this, they will have to sign documents with the ICC and the board members. have always been dominant, and they got what they wanted. Pakistan wanted to keep the Champions Trophy in their country, and in their own way, cricket should win in all this, Not India or Pakistan.”

The 56-year-old veteran stressed that the story of India's victory and Pakistan's defeat should no longer be the main focus. He further stressed that it is “economically detrimental” for both India and Pakistan to play their home games at a neutral venue. Both the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka) and the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) will use neutral venue provisions. Additionally, it will be used for the 2028 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the hosting rights of which have been awarded to Pakistan.

He said- “There will always be an argument that India won and Pakistan lost. I believe that we should move ahead of this and whatever events are held should be based on equality. Not playing against each other will be in the interest of both the teams. It is economically disadvantageous and a formula is being developed for this. Once it is completed, I will definitely share it.”

Due to their strained political relations, India and Pakistan only participate in international competitions such as the Asia Cup and the World Cup. The last bilateral series between the two countries took place in 2012–13, when Pakistan traveled to India for a five-match white-ball series.