Champions Trophy 2025: After the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, it is time for another big ICC event to take place. We are just 7-8 months away from the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The coming event is scheduled to take place in Pakistan, and 8 teams, including India, will be taking part in the competition. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has received the approval of all participating teams, except Team India.
Notably, the relations between India and Pakistan aren’t great, and these two teams don’t play any bilateral series against each other. They only play at multinational events. Pakistan visited India for the ODI World Cup 2023, so will India travel to Pakistan? Well, there can be a possibility of a hybrid model, just like the Asia Cup 2023, where all the matches for India were scheduled in Sri Lanka while Pakistan were the hosts. But that was an Asian event run by the ACC and the Champions Trophy 2025, and its decision will be taken by the ICC.
Champions Trophy 2025: ICC approves Pakistan proposed schedule for the tournament – Report
The Champions Trophy 2025 is expected to be played between February 19 and March 9 across three different venues in Pakistan. The venues in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi have been selected to host the matches. The tournament will see two groups of four teams each.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand are in Group 1, and Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa are in Group 2. As per some media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has submitted the proposed schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025, which has been approved by the ICC. As per schedule, India are all set to face Bangladesh in their first game on February 20.
India will face New Zealand and Pakistan on February 23 and March 1, respectively. All three matches for India will be played in Lahore. The final is expected to take place on March 10 at Gaddafi Stadium. However, the BCCI hasn’t confirmed the participation, as they are seeking approval from the Indian government.
But if India don’t travel to Pakistan, then there are still chances that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played as per the hybrid model. But if India don’t participate, then Sri Lanka will qualify for the tournament. Though the time will tell how it will go and whether India will travel to Pakistan or not, Recently, in an interview, the BCCI secretary confirmed that Rohit Sharma will be leading India in the Champions Trophy 2025, which hints that India are looking to participate in the competition.
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