The ICC Champions Trophy is returning to live action for the first time since it was last played in 2017, where arch-rivals India and Pakistan clashed in the finals, with Pakistan heading home with the trophy.
This was the first time Pakistan defeated India in the knockouts of an ICC event. With the status of defending champions, Pakistan is hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Despite immense resistance from different cricket boards and agreeing to several terms of the Indian Cricket Association, the BCCI, ICC has not withdrawn the hosting rights from the nation that was deprived of hosting any ICC event for the last decade.
India decided to not come on the same page with Pakistan regarding their matches, as a result of which the PCB had to agree to a hybrid model that ensures India’s matches will be held in a hybrid location in the UAE.
ICC Champions Trophy from the 19th of February: Is Pakistan ready for CT 2025?
Pakistan stadiums were out of featuring international matches for a long period of time, with some matches between the home side and sides like England, New Zealand, and Australia being held from 2021. India, however, has never played a match in the nation since the Taj bombings back in the late 2000s.
Pakistan stadiums, including those in Lahore and Karachi, are now under reconstruction and renovations as they look to extend the seating capacity to the level of a marquee tournament like the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The work is still in progress with no signs of completion anytime soon, as the pitch duration would also take some due time. With less than a month left for the massive event, the ICC could not open the ticket window for the Champions Trophy, despite crowds being excited for events like the India vs Pakistan match.
Every team has announced their squads for the event, with the home side being the last to do so. After the immense stubbornness shown by the PCB over the hosting rights and their initial denial of the hybrid model or the terms that they laid to have agreed to the model, the board is simply making a mockery of themselves, showing so much mismanagement in hosting such a key ICC event.
ALSO READ: Three players unlucky to miss out on India’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy squad ft. Nitish Kumar Reddy
