A six-member delegation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) visited the National Bank Stadium in Karachi to review preparations for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The delegation conducted a detailed inspection of the ongoing construction work at the venue.
, the ICC delegation included broadcasters, event management officials, and members of the cricket operations team.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of International Cricket, Usman Wahla, provided the delegation with a comprehensive briefing on the National Stadium. The delegation examined the newly constructed buildings and monitored the progress of development work.
The opening match of the mega-event is scheduled between host Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19, 2025, at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
It is worth noting that the ICC was legally required to announce the schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy before November 21. On November 20, Dawn News reported that the ongoing Pakistan-India conflict over the event had become a major issue for the ICC, leading to the possibility of an emergency meeting being convened.
After a long gap, Pakistan will host an ICC major event again, with the 2025 Champions Trophy being the first such event since the 1996 Cricket World Cup and the 2008 Asia Cup. All matches will be played across three major Pakistani cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi – from February 19 to March 19, 2025.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has previously stated that it would not send its team to Pakistan unless granted permission by its government. The BCCI has proposed moving India’s matches to a neutral venue. In contrast, the PCB has refused to accept a neutral venue and insists on holding the tournament with or without India.
India has not played a match in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, and since the 2012–13 Pakistan tour of India, no bilateral series have been held between the two countries.
Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but India refused to travel to Pakistan, leading to the hybrid model being implemented, with all of India’s matches scheduled in Sri Lanka. India eventually won the title, defeating Sri Lanka in the final held in Colombo.
Pakistan will participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy as the defending champion, having won the 2017 edition under the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed.
