ICC Champions Trophy 2025:The eagerly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is ready to return with lots of excitement as Pakistan hosts the 9th edition of the prestigious cricket tournament. Scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
The matches will take place in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. ICC announced that India will play its matches at a neutral venue and ended the deadlock over playing the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has chosen the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue for the 2025 Champions Trophy,” said PCB spokesperson Amir Mir in a statement to IANS.
The India vs. Pakistan match is scheduled for February 23, 2025. This exciting battle will take place in Dubai
Tournament Details
| Dates | 19 – March 9, 2025 |
| Host Country | Pakistan |
Champions Trophy Participating Teams
A total of 8 teams will be fighting for the prestigious Champions Trophy. India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will be participating in the 2025 edition.Teams will be divided into two groups of four teams.
ICC Champions Trophy Format
A round-robin format will be followed in the champions trophy, leading to knockout rounds. Eight teams will fight for the four semi-final spots, with the final match scheduled for March 9, 2025, in Lahore.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Groups
The ICC Champions Trophy will be scheduled in two different groups, where eight teams will be divided into two major groups Group A and Group B. The grouping of countries is as follows:
Group A
- India
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Bangladesh
Group B
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- England
- South Africa
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Schedule
The Champions Trophy 2025 will be played at Pakistan’s major cricket hubs – Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
| Date | Time (IST) | Venue | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Karachi | Pakistan vs New Zealand |
| February 20, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | Bangladesh vs India |
| February 21, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Karachi | Afghanistan vs South Africa |
| February 22, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Lahore | Australia vs England |
| February 23, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | Pakistan vs India |
| February 24, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Rawalpindi | Bangladesh vs New Zealand |
| February 25, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Rawalpindi | Australia vs South Africa |
| February 26, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Lahore | Afghanistan vs England |
| February 27, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Rawalpindi | Pakistan vs Bangladesh |
| February 28, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Lahore | Afghanistan vs Australia |
| March 1, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Karachi | South Africa vs England |
| March 2, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | New Zealand vs India |
| March 4, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | Semi-Final A1 vs B2 |
| March 5, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | Semi-Final B1 vs A2 |
| March 9, 2025 | 2:30 pm | Neutral | Final |
| March 10, 2025 | – | Neutral | Reserve Day |
Venues
The listed venues for the match are Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. India will play the match in Dubai. along with one semi-final and final– if India qualifies.
| City | Karachi | Lahore | Rawalpindi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Stadium | National Stadium | Gaddafi Stadium | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| Capacity | 34,238 | 27,000 | 15,000 |
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Key Highlights
This match will set some different features as compared to previous matches, some key highlights of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 are:
Pakistan The Host Nation
The first major ICC event hosted by Pakistan since 2009, will show the country’s infrastructure and security towards cricket matches.
Neutral Venue For India vs. Pakistan
Due to the internal conflicts between the two major countries, there are discussions about a hybrid model so matches will be held at neutral venues, such as the UAE. To ensure the security of all the teams the tournament will be held at different venues:
First Appearance Of Afghanistan
In the ICC Champions Trophy Afghanistan will make its first appearance, showing the growing prominence of the small Asian nation in cricket.
Absence Of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, the joint winners of the 2002 edition will miss the event.
Why India Will Not Compete In Pakistan for the Upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025?
Due to security concerns India refused to play ICC 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Due to the ongoing diplomatic tension between the two countries, the BCCI has sent an official letter to the ICC and PCB to shift the match from Pakistan. Dubai will be the neutral venue for India’s matches in the Champions Trophy.
