India and Pakistan‘s intense match in New York on Sunday was just a warm-up to their next big clash, which will be played after eight months in the Champions Trophy 2025. The arch-rivals could even meet sooner, as they could possibly face off in the knockouts of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean later this month.
The draft schedule of the Champions Trophy 2025 has been submitted to the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament will feature eight teams competing in a 15-match league format. As per sources, the India-Pakistan match will be the final league game, with the entire competition taking place from February 19 to March 9. The specific match dates are still not finalized.
The proposed schedule indicates Lahore as the venue for the match, but the Government of India is yet to approve Indian’s team travel to Pakistan. If approval is not granted, there would be a hybrid model similar to last year’s Asia Cup, with the UAE hosting the India games. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly been instructed to proceed with preparations.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalized Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi as the venues for the tournament. Lahore will serve as the location for the India matches. According to the schedule, there will be seven matches in Lahore, five in Rawalpindi, and three in the port city of Karachi.
The opening match of the tournament is scheduled to take place in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19. The two semifinal matches will be held in Karachi and Rawalpindi. According to the proposed schedule, the final will be played in Lahore on Sunday, March 9. Lahore has been chosen to host all India games, as well as the semifinal, if India qualify.
While the PCB and ICC have not currently discussed a hybrid model, the situation could still change at the last minute. All attention will be on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Government of India.