The itinerary for the next Champions Trophy 2025, which Pakistan, the current champions, will host in February and March of next year, has been confirmed by recent reports.
The main match between India and Pakistan, the 2017 finalists, is scheduled for March 01; on February 22, another long-standing rivalry between England and Australia is scheduled. Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host both of the high-profile matches. The two other host cities for the international event, Rawalpindi and Karachi, have been assigned multiple matches each.
The tournament will begin on February 19 with the hosts taking on New Zealand, while the last group stage match will take place at Rawalpindi on March 2 between South Africa and England, according to The Telegraph. Interestingly, all of India’s matches will be played at the venue, which will host the final in Lahore itself.
The story goes on to say that the eight teams were split up into two groups of four apiece. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand make up Group A, whereas Afghanistan, Australia, England, and South Africa compete in Group B.
The fact that Pakistan is hosting an ICC event for the first time since they co-hosted the 50-over World Cup in 1996 gives the competition extra significance.
Although the involvement of nearby India is yet unknown, this match will be their first visit to Pakistan since 2008. Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has stated that the Indian government makes the decisions about tours to the nation. For the uninitiated, every India match from the previous Asia Cup, which was held in Pakistan, was moved to Sri Lanka.
If India declines to come, the tournament’s organisers could have to look into alternate locations, possibly in nations like the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan has tried to keep the logistics as simple as possible for India when arranging the schedule. Lahore, which is fairly accessible by road and only a few hours’ drive from the Indian border, will host India’s three group-stage matches against Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
Of the teams on the preliminary schedule, India is the only one that does not have to change locations in between group-stage matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping that by strategically timing the match, Indian fans will be inspired to travel and show their support for the side.
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