 "Pakistan are the Champions Trophy defending champions and hosts for 2025 edition. Image: Reuters")
There’s no clarity on the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy schedule and to an extent who will be the final hosts, but the trophy tour got underway on Thursday (14 November). The Champions Trophy, which was last held in 2017, arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and will tour the country over the next week.
CT Trophy to visit K2 peak
As per a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official, the CT trophy tour will begin in Skardu in northern Pakistan and will also visit Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad. As per a report in Cricbuzz, the trophy will also be taken to the top of K2, which is the second tallest mountain in the world after Everest. The trophy will not tour Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, the three cities that will be hosting Champions Trophy matches, due to prevailing smog conditions.
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The trophy tour will officially end on 24 November but former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan doesn’t understand why it’s being held currently in Pakistan when the final decision on host and venues has not been taken.
“What is the purpose of this trophy tour when no one really knows at which venues the tournament will be held and whether Pakistan and India will play against each other in the event,” former wicket-keeper Moin Khan said. “Strange having a trophy tour without the schedule being announced.”
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BCCI vs PCB spat continues
Pakistan, who are also the defending champions, are also the original hosts of the Champions Trophy 2025, but things have been in limbo ever since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send its team sighting security issues. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly asked the BCCI through the International Cricket Council (ICC) to explain their apprehensions in writing and are not ready to host the tournament in a ‘Hybrid Model’
A Hybrid Model was used last year when India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. At that time the Men in Blue played their matches including the final in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan are not interested in hosting the tournament in a Hybrid Model anymore and have even decided to boycott the tournament if it’s moved out of their country . Losing the hosting rights could also result in huge financial loss for PCB could miss out on USD 65 million .