Bangladesh will kick off their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign against India on February 20 in Dubai. The tournament begins a day earlier, with the opening match being held in Pakistan.
Yesterday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finalized Dubai as the neutral venue for the Champions Trophy in consultation with the UAE. The high-voltage clash between Pakistan and India is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
PCB spokesperson Amir Mir confirmed that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, a senior UAE minister and head of the Emirates Cricket Board, to finalize the arrangements. Mir stated, “PCB has selected the UAE as the neutral venue for the Champions Trophy.”
Colombo, Sri Lanka, was also considered as a neutral venue before Dubai was finalized. Last week, the ICC announced that Pakistan and India would not play in each other’s countries for the Champions Trophy and three subsequent ICC tournaments. Instead, matches involving these two teams will be held at neutral venues.
This year’s Champions Trophy features eight teams. Group A includes hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and New Zealand. Pakistan will face New Zealand in the tournament opener on February 19 in Karachi. Pakistan’s second group-stage match against India will take place in Dubai, followed by their match against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.
Group B consists of Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. Apart from India’s matches, all other group-stage games will be held in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Two reserve days have been allocated for the semifinals on March 4 and 5. If India qualifies for the semifinals, they will play on March 4 in Dubai. If they reach the final, the title decider will also be held in Dubai on March 9. However, if India fails to qualify for the semifinals or final, those matches will be hosted by Pakistan.
