Champions Trophy: Bangladesh in India-Pakistan group
The ICC Champions Trophy is returning after eight years. The host Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy
Champions Trophy: Bangladesh in India-Pakistan group
The ICC Champions Trophy is returning after eight years. The host Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The PCB has prepared a draft proposal to fix the group, schedule and venue of this eight-team tournament.
In the proposed draft
Bangladesh has been placed in the same group with India and Pakistan. The PCB has already sent the proposed schedule to the ICC. Pakistan wants to host the tournament between February 19 and March 9.
Indian news agency PTI reported that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi visited Barbados during the T20 World Cup final last week. There he submitted the schedule of the Champions Trophy to the ICC.
A member of the ICC board said that the PCB plans to organize all India's matches at one venue (Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore). There will be 7 matches in Lahore, 3 in Karachi and 5 in Rawalpindi. The opening match and one semi-final will be played in Karachi, while the other semi-final will be played in Rawalpindi. And the final with all India's matches will be held in Lahore.
If India make it to the semi-finals, that match will also be held in Lahore.
In the PCB's proposed schedule, Group A has placed Pakistan, Bangladesh,
India and New Zealand. Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan have been placed in 'B' group. The Pakistan-India match in Lahore is scheduled for March 1. The draft schedule is also expected to be presented to participating countries.
Recently, ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley went to Islamabad and held a meeting with PCB senior officials. Apart from visiting the venue, the ICC security team discussed various issues there. The last major tournament hosted by Pakistan was the 2023 Asia Cup. However, as India did not agree to go there, eventually most of the matches were played in Sri Lanka. This time, it is not clear what will be the position of India in the ICC Champions Trophy. The Board of Cricket in India (BCCI) has always said that they cannot give any guarantees without the permission of the government.
The ICC board member told PTI, "All board heads and participants have assured cooperation in organizing the tournament, only BCCI has said that they will talk to the government and inform the ICC." According to the PCB's draft, the final will be held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 9. March 10 will be allotted as reserve day.
In the last Champions Trophy in 2017, Pakistan won the trophy by defeating India in the final.
