Pakistan wants to host all 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup matches, UAE likely venue for India games

Pakistan wants to host all matches of the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerging as a likely neutral venue for games involving India, PTI reported on Friday, citing a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said the 12-team tournament would be held from September 7 to October 1, 2028, with Pakistan as the main host.

However, a decision on the neutral venue for India’s matches is still pending, according to the report.


Pakistan is expected to push for the same hybrid arrangement followed during the 2025 Champions Trophy, under which India and Pakistan play their matches at neutral venues when either country hosts an ICC or Asian event.

“We would like to host matches of both groups and the knockout matches where the Indian team is not involved,” the PCB source told PTI.

The UAE is likely to be the preferred option because travel between Pakistan and Dubai is relatively short, making logistics easier and less expensive, the source said.

India played all its matches in the UAE during the 2025 Champions Trophy, which Pakistan hosted. Pakistan staged 10 of the tournament’s 15 matches, including a semifinal in Lahore that did not involve India. India went on to win the final in Dubai.

India’s strong standing in women’s cricket makes it a contender to reach the knockout stage. The PCB source said the final would be held in Lahore if India failed to qualify, though the ICC has yet to announce the neutral venue arrangement.

Hosting the tournament would also bring financial benefits to Pakistan, with the ICC providing a hosting fee and funds to cover other tournament expenses, the source said. It would also give women’s cricket in the country a boost, he added.

Meanwhile, the 20-team men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in Australia and New Zealand from October 12 to November 12.