Champions Trophy to reach Islamabad tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: A tour showcasing the trophy for the upcoming tournament taking place across Pakistan in 2025 will begin on Saturday, November 16 in Islamabad.

“Ger ready, Pakistan!” wrote the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, announcing the tour. The post revealed that the trophy would be making stops in Skardu, Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad.

“Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017,” wrote the PCB. The tour, which begins on Saturday, will end on Sunday November 24.

ICC Champions Trophy: India-Pakistan deadlock persists

The Champions Trophy is set to kick off in February next year, and will take place between the Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi across three cricket stadiums. Venue renovations which seek to bring the stadiums to international standards ahead of the tournament are nearing completion.

The only question remaining is participation, as the question of India’s participation in the tournament remains. As India have refused to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming tournament, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have recommended a hybrid model, in which matches against India would be played at a neutral venue, possibly in Dubai.

However, the PCB have remained steadfast in their decision to keep Pakistan as the sole venue for the tournament. Earlier, the Pakistani government stated that Pakistan will not play with India on other international platforms, such as the 2026 T20 World Cup, if India continues to refuse to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

BCCI ‘notifies’ ICC of decision to skip Pakistan tour for Champions Trophy