- The arch rivals Pakistan and India are scheduled to face off on February 23.
- Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi will be the three venues for the tournament.
- Three group matches involving India will be played in Dubai.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the official fixtures and kits for the much-awaited event, the Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 19 in Karachi.
The cricket body announced that the eight-team tournament will include 15 matches and will be held across Pakistan and Dubai, adding that all matches will be day and night encounters.
In Pakistan, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi will be the three venues that will host the tournament. Each Pakistani stadium will feature three group stage matches, with Lahore hosting the second semi-final.
Lahore will also host the final on March 9, unless India qualifies, in which case the final will be held in Dubai. Both the semi-finals and final will have reserve days.
The three group matches that include India, as well as the first semi-final, will be held in Dubai.
Pakistan will face New Zealand in their opening Group A match in Karachi on February 19. The Dubai match begins the next day with India facing Bangladesh.
Group B matches will begin on February 21, with Afghanistan taking on the Proteas in Karachi.
A big weekend then begins as rivals England and Australia are scheduled to face off in Lahore on Saturday (February 22), with the highly anticipated Pakistan-India clash scheduled for the following day.
The eight Champions Trophy teams vying for the famous white winners’ jackets are the teams that finished in the top eight in the points table for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Group A of the tournament includes current Champions Trophy holders and hosts Pakistan, along with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh, while Group B includes 2023 Cricket World Cup champions Australia, along with Afghanistan, England and South Africa.
However, the final of the tournament is scheduled to be held in Lahore, but if India qualifies, it will also be held in Dubai.
Reacting to the announcement, ICC President Jay Shah wrote on X: “Very excited to get the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy underway in February.”
The tournament faced an obstacle after the Indian government refused to allow its players to visit Pakistan to attend the huge event, due to security concerns.
However, the two sides resolved the issue by agreeing on a hybrid model, where India plays its matches at a neutral venue and not in the host nation, Pakistan.
Two days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chose the UAE as the neutral venue for India’s matches.
Under the agreement, Pakistan will also play in neutral venues in the upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India.
The statement added that the agreement will extend to the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, hosted by India, and the 2026 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Groups
Group A: Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
Group B: South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England
Champions Cup schedule
February 19, Pakistan vs New Zealand, Karachi
February 20, Bangladesh vs. India, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
February 21: Afghanistan vs. South Africa, Karachi
February 22, Australia vs. England, Lahore
February 23, Pakistan vs India, Dubai
February 24, Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi
February 25, Australia vs. South Africa, Rawalpindi
February 26: Afghanistan vs. England, Lahore
February 27, Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi
February 28, Afghanistan vs. Australia, Lahore
March 1: South Africa vs. England, Karachi
March 2, New Zealand vs. India, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
March 4, Semi-Final 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
March 5, Semi-Final 2, Lahore
March 9, Final, Lahore (unless India qualifies, the match will be played in Dubai).
March 10, Reserve Day