The ICC Champions Trophy which is known to give cricketers and fans goosebumps received a long back awaited icp in it’s return. The Trophy will commence in 2025 marking the return after a 7 year break. The world best 8 teams out of those 8 participating team will fight to boast in optimism for edge of the chair novel experience filled with remarkable action as well as unmatched toughed world level rivalries. Through this guide provided, any cricketers peers from a hardcore fan to a relaxed viewer will be able to uncover all the essentials of the upcoming tournament.
The dates when this tournament will take place are as follows:
February 10 to March 8, 2025. The host country with their venues (still waiting for security confirmations) are: Pakistan as well as Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. The participating teams of the tournament will start on the 10th of February 2025. The opening match will be held in Karachi with India facing Pakistan. And the final match will come to conclusion on March 8, where Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the host.
Teams & Squads: Powerhouses and dark horses The top 8 ODI teams qualify:
India with captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam, along with other players including Virat Kohli, Bumrah, Gill, Pant, Shaheen and Rizwan. Australia’s captain Pat Cummins along with Warner, Starc and Green. Also present are England’s captain Jos Butler and Root, Archer, and Brook. New Zeland’s captain Kane Wiliamson along with Boult, Conway and South Africa’s men Temba Bavuma with gabu and Miller. Lastly Sri Lankas captain Dasun Shanaka with Hasaranga, Pathirana and Bangladeshs Shakib Al Hasan as captain along with Taskin and Liton.
Wildcard Alert: It would be interesting to see how Afghanistan competes for a last-minute spot in the finals!
How to Watch: All You Need to Know About Global Streaming.
India: Hotstar and Star Sports.
Pakistan: ARY ZAP and PTV.
UK: Sky Sports Cricket.
US: Willow TV.
Rest of World: ICC.tv (subscription).
Pro Tip: Use a region specific VPN such as NordVPN to access local broadcasts.
5 Reasons to Get Excited
First Match: The opening of this event features the biggest IPL rivalry, India vs Pakistan!
Will Kohli Retire: There is a strong possibility that this is Kohli’s last ICC event which makes things much more compelling.
Rohit vs Babar: The captains who face off in the first match.
Young Guns: Keep an eye on Rachin Ravindra from New Zealand and Yashasvi Jaiswal from India.
Pakistan’s Home Advantage: Are they able to replicate the world cup winning magic from 2017?
Key Players to Watch
Bumrah Jasprit: Mastery over long endings.
Butler Jos: T20 style, ODI attitude.
Afridi Shaheen: Swing king’s home game.
Khan Rashid: If they get past the qualifiers, his spin will dazzle.
Controversies & Challenges
Saftey Issues: Some teams are worried about playing in pakistan, rest of the games may be held in the UAE.
Weather Woes: Matches in high chances of being interrupted by rains in February.
Group Stage Matches
Date Match Venue Time (IST)
19 Feb 2025 Pakistan vs New Zealand National Stadium, Karachi 2:30 PM
20 Feb 2025 Bangladesh vs India Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
21 Feb 2025 Afghanistan vs South Africa National Stadium, Karachi 2:30 PM
22 Feb 2025 Australia vs England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2:30 PM
23 Feb 2025 Pakistan vs India Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
24 Feb 2025 Bangladesh vs New Zealand Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
25 Feb 2025 Australia vs South Africa Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
26 Feb 2025 Afghanistan vs England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2:30 PM
27 Feb 2025 Pakistan vs Bangladesh Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
28 Feb 2025 Afghanistan vs Australia Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2:30 PM
1 Mar 2025 South Africa vs England National Stadium, Karachi 2:30 PM
2 Mar 2025 New Zealand vs India Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
Knockout Stage Matches
Date Match Venue Time (IST)
4 Mar 2025 Semi-Final 1 (A1 vs B2) Dubai International Cricket Stadium 2:30 PM
5 Mar 2025 Semi-Final 2 (B1 vs A2) Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 2:30 PM
9 Mar 2025 Final Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore* 2:30 PM
*Note: If India qualifies for the final, it will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium
