On Friday, December 15, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) formally secured the hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This significant agreement was finalised in Dubai between the PCB and the International Cricket Council (ICC).
PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf visited the ICC headquarters in Dubai for the signing ceremony, where he was joined by Jonathan Hall, the ICC's General Counsel. In preparation for hosting the Champions Trophy, the PCB has already requested the Pakistan government to ensure top-notch security for the international teams participating in the tournament.
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Pakistan's Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, in a recent discussion with Zaka Ashraf, guaranteed full cooperation from security agencies. He committed to making all necessary efforts to ensure the successful organization of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2025.
However, there had been circulating media reports suggesting a potential relocation of the 2025 Champions Trophy from Pakistan to the UAE. This speculation arose amid concerns that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may be reluctant to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, similar to the situation with the Asia Cup 2023. These reports hinted at the possibility of the tournament adopting a 'Hybrid' model due to these considerations.
Following the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) recent agreement with the ICC for the Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights, attention now turns to the participation of the Indian cricket team. The decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding whether to send the team to Pakistan for the event is keenly awaited.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will mark the 9th edition of this prestigious tournament. The event was last held in 2017, where Pakistan emerged victorious against India in the final in England. After a hiatus, the ICC has decided to reintroduce the tournament, making it the first occurrence of the Champions Trophy in eight years.
The qualification criteria for the 2025 edition were based on the team standings in the ICC World Cup 2023. The top eight teams from this tournament have earned their spots in the Champions Trophy.
The qualified teams for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 are:
India
South Africa
Australia
New Zealand
Pakistan
Afghanistan
England
Bangladesh
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