The International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to make an official announcement but has started its preparations in case India refuses to trip Pakistan, the host country for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) members have already spoken about the fact that they are waiting for approval from the Indian Government, and if they don’t get the green signal, then they will be looking at other ways of being part of the event.
Due to the disturbed political reasons between these two countries, they haven’t met each other in a bilateral series since 2012 and have faced each other only in the ICC tournaments. Pakistan has tripped India twice since that period, for the 2016 World Cup in 20 overs and then the recent 50-over World Cup in 2023.
ICC distributes budget for Champions Trophy 2025
In a recent report, it has been known that a budget for the 50-over tournament has been approved for approximately $65Â million during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Colombo, which also indicates that there have been plans for a few games being shifted outside Pakistan.
Also Read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025 In Pakistan Gets Green Signal? Massive Budget Approved
The Indian Cricket Board is likely to activate the ‘Hybrid model’ which they did too during the 2023 Asia Cup to play their games in Sri Lanka and went on to win the title of the event. In the same process, they plan to play their games of the CT 2025 either in Sri Lanka or in Dubai.
The Chief Executives Committee (CEC) approval notes that the Pakistan Cricket Board has signed the Host Agreement and submitted the draft schedule for the event for approval. The management is also keeping a window and its cost in case it’s needed for a few games to be played outside that country.
The ICC hasn’t declared anything on the probable venues. They have been working on the three venues- Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore for their renovation work and upgraded facilities. Out of the $65 million, $35 has been allocated for the competition, while $20 million has been confirmed for participation and prize money.
The rest of the $10 million has been approved for the production of costs associated with televising the 15 matches in 20 days. India’s all the group games, along with the semifinal and final, if required, are going to take place in Lahore, including the mouth-watering clash against Pakistan.
Also Read: ICC Impressed By PCB’s Confidence In Hosting ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Despite India’s Potential Withdrawal
The draft schedule for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
| Date | Match No. | Teams |
| February 19 | 01 | NZ vs PAK |
| February 20 | 02 | BAN vs IND |
| February 21 | 03 | AFG vs SA |
| February 22 | 04 | AUS vs ENG |
| February 23 | 05 | NZ vs IND |
| February 24 | 06 | PAK vs BAN |
| February 25 | 07 | AFG vs ENG |
| February 26 | 08 | AUS vs SA |
| February 27 | 09 | BAN vs NZ |
| February 28 | 10 | AFG vs AUS |
| March 01 | 11 | PAK vs IND |
| March 02 | 12 | SA vs ENG |
| March 05 | Semi Final 01 | A1 vs B2 |
| March 06 | Semi Final 02 | A2 vs B1 |
| March 09 | Final | SF 1 vs SF 2 |
| March 10 | Final Reserve Day |
In the group distributions for the event, group A consists of Bangladesh Afghanistan, Australia, and New Zealand, while group B has England, South Africa, India, and Pakistan. Before the competition, the home side will also feature in an ODI tri-series including the Proteas and the Blackcaps as the preparation for the tournament.
