The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that all of India's games in the 2028 Women's T20 World Cup, which will take place in Pakistan, will be played at a neutral venue. The decision was green lit during the ICC Board meetings held in Ahmedabad on Monday (June 1), officially creating a hybrid hosting model for one of the prestigious competitions in women's cricket.
Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will stay as the official host of the tournament, India's games will be played at a neutral venue. The arrangement extends the hybrid model that has increasingly been used for major ICC tournaments consisting of India and Pakistan amid ongoing cross-border tensions.
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Hybrid model in women's cricket
The announcement is a big move as it settles the venue arrangement well in advance of the tournament, giving clarity nearly three years before the event starts. Amid the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan have ruled out bilateral cricket between the two countries for more than a decade, which leads to cricket boards to rely on neutral venues for major ICC and multi-nation tournaments.
The ICC's decision means that the 2028 Women's T20 World Cup will be conducted under a hybrid model which was seen in the recent ICC events as well. The arrangement will let both India and Pakistan to take part in events without requiring either team to travel across the border.
While the ICC has not identified the neutral venue that will host India's games, the confirmation gives clarity with a lot of time in hand. The decision is expected to ease concerns regarding scheduling, logistics, and overall tournament planning.