Mumbai
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the complete schedule of next year’s Champions Trophy 2025. This tournament will be hosted by Pakistan. But with the release of the schedule, the tension of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has increased.
This tension has increased not about anyone else, but about the final match. ICC has named the venue of the final as Lahore in the schedule. Pakistani fans will definitely be happy to see this, but a condition has also been written in the bracket, which has broken their hearts.
Actually, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had already made it clear that the Indian team will not tour Pakistan. In such a situation, this tournament will be held under hybrid model. Pakistan knew this before the schedule was released.
Indian team will play its matches in Dubai
Keeping this in mind, ICC has fixed 4 venues in the schedule. In this, a venue has been kept, UAE’s Dubai International Stadium, in which the Indian team will play all its matches. Along with the Indian team having 3 group matches scheduled in Dubai, a semi-final has also been scheduled.
Till now the matter is fine, but the real matter is regarding the final of the Champions Trophy. ICC title match also with one condition Scheduled in Dubai. The condition is that if the Indian team reaches the finals, then in that case this title match will be held in Dubai.
Will host Pakistan be a great insult?
If the Indian team is not able to qualify, then in that case the final is certain to be held in Lahore. This is a matter of real tension for Pakistan. If the Indian team plays the final, then Pakistan will lose the hosting of the title match. This will be a big loss for him.
However, if Pakistan also reaches the finals along with India, then it will be no less than a nightmare or a great insult for the PCB. The main reason for this is that the Pakistani team will have to leave their country as soon as they enter the finals. Despite being the host, it will have to play this title in Dubai. This would be no less than a great insult for him as a host.
India and Pakistan in the same group
There will be a total of 15 matches between 8 teams in the Champions Trophy 2025. All the teams have been divided into 2 groups. India and Pakistan are in the same Group-A. The remaining two teams along with them are New Zealand and Bangladesh. Whereas South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan and England have been kept in Group-B.
All 8 teams will play 3-3 matches in their respective groups. After this, the top-2 teams of each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The first semi-final will be held in Dubai, while the second will be held in Lahore. After this the final match will be played. In such a situation, if a team reaches the finals, it will play a total of 5 matches in the tournament.
There will be 2 groups in the tournament as follows
Group A – Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
Group B – South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England
Full schedule of Champions Trophy…
19 February- Pakistan vs New Zealand, Karachi
20 February- Bangladesh vs India, Dubai
21 February- Afghanistan vs South Africa, Karachi
22 February- Australia vs England, Lahore
23 February- Pakistan vs India, Dubai
24 February- Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi
25 February- Australia vs South Africa, Rawalpindi
26 February- Afghanistan vs England, Lahore
27 February- Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi
28 February- Afghanistan vs Australia, Lahore
March 1- South Africa vs England, Karachi
March 2- New Zealand vs India, Dubai
March 4- Semifinal-1, Dubai
March 5- Semifinal-2, Lahore
March 9, Final, Lahore (will be played in Dubai if India reaches the final)
March 10- Reserve Day
