Last Updated:
The 2025 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, is set to be played from February 19 to March 9 across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi with the media (Picture Credit: X/@TheRealPCB)
They thought it was impossible. Well, seems like it is, as the PCB continues to be in a race against time to finish the construction of all the new stadiums for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
But, in a new twist of the tale, the ICC has reportedly thrown the PCB a bone in order to aid them in their mission.
Eight teams are slated to take part in the ICC tournament which is returning for the first time since 2017 in less than two weeks.
The PCB has spent around PKR 12 billion on renovation, constructions and installation of equipment at all three venues in Lahore and Karachi. Yet, they have found it difficult to stick to the deadline, i.e. the ICC’s so-called “exclusivity period”, which demands that all facilities be ready three weeks in advance before a major tournament starts.
With just a little more than two weeks left on the clock and the stadiums in Karachi still undergoing construction, the ICC has extended a helping hand, allowing them to utilise the new stadiums for their upcoming tri-series matches involving South Africa and New Zealand from February 8, thereby inherently extending their deadline.
The 2025 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, is set to be played from February 19 to March 9 across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai.
However, it seems as if not all is going to plan, as reports loom around no opening ceremony being hosted for the tournament.
According to a report in Pakistani media house Geo Super, due to the delayed arrival of the England and Australian cricket teams in Pakistan, the plans to host an opening ceremony have been cancelled.
It has been that reported that English team which is set to play three-match ODI series in India before the ICC Champions Trophy will land in Lahore on February 18 and Australian team which is in Sri Lanka these days for a two-match Test series and two-match ODI series will arrive in Pakistan on February 19.
The Indian team will not travel to Pakistan due to tense political relations between the two countries, and instead its matches are scheduled to take place in Dubai.
But, the iconic encounter between the two sides still seems to generate an unreal pull, with reports stating that tickets for the highly-anticipated group-stage fixture between India and Pakistan in Dubai were snapped up within minutes of going on sale on Monday.
The rush was so intense that over 1,50,000 eager fans queued online, causing waiting times to exceed an hour.
India and Australia are the two most successful sides in the Champions Trophy, having won it twice each. To add more fire to the storied rivalry, Pakistan shall come into the tournament as the defending champions after having won the last edition in 2017 by defeating India in a thrilling final.
