Champions Trophy 2025 opening ceremony to be held in Karachi?

Champions Trophy 2025 opening ceremony to be held in Karachi? 

The next big ICC event is only half a year away and the excitement among fans is building up day by day for the mega tournament.  

Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy 2025 and there are according to the tentative schedule Karachi to host the opening match of the marquee event on February 19.  

While the ODI World Cup 2023 finalists team India will travel to Pakistan or not is still a mystery, it is likely that India will opt to play at a different venue most probably in Sri Lanka or Dubai rather than Pakistan due to security concerns.  

However, many of former Pakistan players want India to come, as there are fans of Indian players there as well, while some criticize and demanding the tournament without India.  

And it will be up to ICC (International Cricket Council) to take final call. The board has not made it official yet but keep the possibility of India to not visit Pakistan in mind and allocated a budget of $65 million, including for the games outside Pakistan, according to a cricbuzz report.  

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Meanwhile Pakistan have started its preparation for the mega tournament after the budget allocation and are reportedly planning to conduct the opening ceremony at the National Stadium in Karachi and closing ceremony in Lahore, subject to approval from ICC.  

Pakistan selected three venues to stage 15 matches as per their draft schedule. Karachi, Lahore and the third is Rawalpindi.  

The draft schedule suggests that India will play against Bangladesh on February 20, versus New Zealand on February 23 and against Pakistan on March 1, all India games are to be played in Lahore.  

The venues to be subject to change depending on India’s decision to travel to Pakistan or not.

Also Read: What if India declines to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025?