The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is set to take place in the cities of Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, Pakistan as the prestigious tournament is reported to kick off on February 19 – with the last bout scheduled for March 9.
As per the report published in The Telegraph UK, The fixtures involving India in the Champions Trophy pertain to jurisdiction in Pakistan including the final if they make it that far.
The final bracket may be shifted from Lahore to neighboring Dubai, according to the article. With the final set for March 9, the venue may not be decided until after the 6th of March. March 6 might apply to the semi-finals too with Abu Dhabi and Sharjah being put into consideration as well.
Since July 2008, India hasn’t sent its national team to Pakistan owing to the bitter political ties between the two nations.
This happens after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi told the media earlier in the week that he was hopeful that the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy will take place in the country and all countries including their greatest rival, India, will be able to take part in the competition.
“India is expected to send their cricketing delegation. I do not visualize them calling off or deferring their visit to this place and we are quite optimistic that all the participating teams of the Champions Trophy will come to Pakistan.” Naqvi stated.
He also reiterated the fact that Pakistan is ready to accommodate all the sides including India and action is underway as per the plan.
“In addition, the work on the stadiums will be done on time and the matching activities will take place without any postponement, any extra work will be carried out after the tournament convenes,” he concluded.
BCCI vice president Rajiv Shukla had also said that it would primarily be the Indian government deciding whether or not to send its cricketers to Pakistan even for the Champions Trophy whatever that is.
Last year when the BCCI opted out of the Asia Cup which was to be held in Pakistan, it mentioned the Indian government’s denial of permission as the reason. After a lot of discussions, the Asia Cup was held on a consolidated basis by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
A report further alleged that the tournament, the last of which took place in 2017, will have India and Pakistan along with New Zealand and Bangladesh placed in group A while Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan will be in group B as per the tournament schedule.
The Champions Trophy will be the first global ICC tournament to be hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 ICC World Cup where Pakistan, along with India and Sri Lanka, was one of the host countries.