The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have finalized the details for the opening ceremonies of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with multiple events scheduled across different venues. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is going to be hosted in a ‘hybrid’ model in Pakistan and Dubai and will get underway on February 19.
According to a report in Geo News, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has given his final approval for all related festivities. The main opening ceremony will take place on February 16 at Hazuri Bagh in Lahore, officially marking the start of the prestigious tournament. In addition to this, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host a separate opening event on February 7, while Karachi’s National Stadium will hold its inauguration ceremony on February 11, PCB sources informed Geo News.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to be the chief guest at the Lahore event, while President Asif Ali Zardari is likely to attend the Karachi ceremony. However, according to well-informed sources within the International Cricket Council (ICC), logistical constraints will prevent England and Australia as well as Team India from attending these ceremonies.
OPENING CEREMONY OF CT 2025
-The Champions Trophy opening ceremony will be on February 16 at Hazoori Bagh, Lahore, with key figures, cricketers, and ICC officials attending. (Sohail Imran) pic.twitter.com/kbUktWcBDT
— junaiz (@dhillow_) January 30, 2025
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA) have provided arrival schedules that make participation unfeasible. England will arrive in Lahore on February 18, while Australia is set to land a day later on February 19. Meanwhile, Bangladesh and India are scheduled to reach Dubai on February 15, and Afghanistan will arrive in Islamabad on February 12.
New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa will already be in Pakistan, having competed in a tri-nation ODI series in Lahore and Karachi from February 8 to 14. The tournament’s opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand is slated for February 19 in Karachi.
England’s absence from the early events is due to their decision to take a one-week break following a gruelling month-long white-ball tour of India, which concludes on February 12. Similarly, Australia will complete their two-Test and two-ODI series in Sri Lanka on February 14 before taking a four-day rest en route to Lahore.
As a result, both England and Australia have opted out of warm-up matches. While each team is entitled to two practice games, they have chosen to enter the tournament directly after concluding their respective ODI series.
Pakistan will host at least 10 matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, while Dubai will stage three fixtures featuring India, including the first semi-final. If India fails to qualify for the final on March 9, the championship match will be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. However, if India advances, the final will take place in Dubai.
India will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February while the all-important India vs Pakistan clash will take place at the same venue on February 23. The tournament is being held in a ‘hybrid’ model after India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan.
There is no ‘captain’s meet’ or photograph session of the captains planned for the Champions Trophy as well, which is unlike any other ICC event.
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