Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup India BCCI: Neutral Venue Challenges After Qualification

Published April 18, 2025

The Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup qualification has created significant logistical challenges for India BCCI as hosts of the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup. Pakistan secured their place in the tournament with a comprehensive 67-run victory over Thailand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday, becoming the first team to qualify from the six-nation qualifier event. With this development, the BCCI now faces the complex task of arranging neutral venues for all matches involving Pakistan during the Women Cricket World Cup scheduled to take place in India from September to November 2025.

Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup Qualification: Victory Over Thailand

The Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup qualification came following a dominant performance against Thailand in Lahore. The Pakistani team has maintained a perfect record in the qualifying tournament, winning all four of their matches to secure an early berth in the main event. Their qualification is particularly significant as they are the first team to advance from the six-nation qualifier that also includes Bangladesh, West Indies, Ireland, Scotland, and Thailand.

The top two finishing teams from this qualifier event earn tickets to the Cricket World Cup in India. While Pakistan’s success on the field is worth celebrating, it has immediately triggered discussions about the logistical implications for the BCCI as tournament hosts, given the complex political relations between the two neighboring countries.

BCCI’s Logistical Challenges for Hosting Pakistan in India

With Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup participation now confirmed, the India BCCI faces unique administrative and logistical challenges. According to established protocols, the BCCI will need to host all of Pakistan’s matches at “neutral venues” outside of India. This arrangement extends to any potential India versus Pakistan encounters during the tournament, which would also need to be held outside the host nation.

The BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, where officials are planning the logistics for hosting Pakistan’s matches at neutral venues during the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. (Image: BCCI)

These requirements create several significant challenges for the BCCI as tournament organizers:

• Split Tournament Management: The BCCI must effectively manage a tournament across multiple countries
• Travel Logistics: Teams playing against Pakistan will need to travel between India and the neutral venue
• Scheduling Complexity: The tournament schedule must account for additional travel time between venues in different countries
• Broadcast Arrangements: Television and digital broadcast setups will need to cover venues in multiple locations
• Fan Experience: Indian fans will miss out on hosting potentially high-profile Pakistan matches, particularly if India plays Pakistan

These logistical issues surrounding Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup participation in India are not unprecedented, but they add layers of complexity to an already challenging tournament organization process for the BCCI.

The ICC Neutral Venue Agreement Between India and Pakistan

The requirement for Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup matches to be held outside India stems from a formal agreement brokered by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year. This arrangement was established after India decided not to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled for February-March 2025.

“The ICC confirmed that matches between India and Pakistan in ICC events till 2027 will be played at neutral venues.” Official ICC Statement, 2024

This neutral venue policy represents a balanced compromise that the ICC negotiated between the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following India’s decision not to travel to Pakistan. While the PCB initially expressed dissatisfaction with India’s position, the neutral venue solution allowed both tournaments to proceed while addressing security and political concerns.

The agreement ensures continuity and predictability for both cricket boards, allowing them to plan appropriately for these major tournaments despite the ongoing challenges in bilateral cricket relations between India and Pakistan.

Champions Trophy 2025 Precedent: How It Will Work

The Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup neutral venue arrangements will likely follow the precedent established during the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy. During that tournament, which preceded the Women’s World Cup, the Indian men’s cricket team played all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates rather than traveling to Pakistan.

This arrangement for Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup matches creates logistical challenges for teams that must play against both Pakistani teams and other participants. These teams will need to manage international travel in the middle of a tournament schedule, potentially affecting preparation time and recovery between matches.

Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Venues and Potential Neutral Sites

According to ESPNcricinfo, the India BCCI has already selected several venues for the Women Cricket World Cup, with the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur set to host the tournament final. Other confirmed Indian venues include Vishakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Raipur, and Indore.

For the Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup matches requiring neutral venues, the BCCI has not yet officially announced locations, but based on the Champions Trophy precedent, the United Arab Emirates (particularly Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah) seems the most likely option. Other potential neutral venues could include Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, which offer closer geographical proximity to India.

Knockout Stage Implications: What If Pakistan Advances?

A significant consideration for the BCCI regarding Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup participation is the potential for Pakistan to advance to the tournament’s knockout stages. If Pakistan reaches the semi-finals or final of the event, these high-profile matches would also need to be relocated outside India, even if originally scheduled for Indian venues.

This scenario creates particular challenges if Pakistan reaches the final, as the Mullanpur stadium would lose its status as the final venue. The BCCI would need to prepare an equivalent high-quality neutral venue capable of hosting a World Cup final with appropriate facilities, security, and capacity.

Future ICC Tournaments and the Neutral Venue Policy

The current neutral venue arrangement for Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup matches in India reflects a broader pattern that will continue across several upcoming ICC tournaments. The agreement between the BCCI, PCB, and ICC establishes that this approach will remain in place through at least 2028.

ICC officials during discussions that led to the neutral venue policy affecting Pakistan’s participation in tournaments hosted by India, including the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. (Image: ICC)

Beyond the Women Cricket World Cup in 2025, this policy will also apply to:

• The Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka)
• The Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 (hosted by Pakistan)

This ongoing arrangement creates a “new normal” for cricket relations between India and Pakistan, where bilateral series remain suspended but ICC tournament participation continues through the neutral venue compromise. While creating logistical complexities, this approach allows cricket’s global showcase events to proceed with full participation while respecting the political realities affecting the two nations.

As the Pakistan Women Cricket World Cup qualification brings these issues to the forefront once again, cricket administrators, teams, and fans must adapt to these unique circumstances that have become an established feature of India-Pakistan cricket relations at ICC events. For the BCCI as hosts of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, the challenge will be to deliver a seamless tournament experience despite the multi-country hosting requirements necessitated by Pakistan’s participation.

Published on April 18, 2025 | Updated on April 19, 2025