The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has kept the marquee match of the Champions Trophy between Pakistan and India in Lahore on March 1 but the BCCI is yet to give its approval to the schedule, a senior ICC Board member told PTI on Wednesday. The ICC event is slated from February 19 to March 9 with March 10 being a Reserve Day in case of rain in the final.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who watched the T20 World Cup final in Barbados, submitted a 15-match schedule with all of the Men in Blue’s games in Lahore for security and logistical reasons. “The Pakistan Cricket Board has submitted the draft of the 15-game ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Seven games will be played in Lahore, while three are kept in Karachi. Rawalpindi will host five contests,” an ICC Board member said.
“The opening match of the ICC tournament will be played in Karachi with two semis in Karachi and Rawalpindi and the final in Lahore. All India games (including semifinal if they qualify) are in Lahore,” the source added. India are with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand in Group A. Group B has Australia, South Africa, England and Afghanistan.
The head of ICC events Chris Tetley met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to take stock of the preparations. Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup in 2023 in a ‘Hybrid Model’ with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka as the Indian government refused to allow the players’ compete in the neighbouring country.
“All the heads of the ICC Champions Trophy participating teams (excluding BCCI) have assured the PCB chairman of their support but the Indian Cricket Board will consult the government,” the source added. The ICC can’t force any board to go against the government policies.
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