News Anas Rajput February 19, 2025 0 Comments

Pakistan Begins ICC Champions Trophy Title Defense Against New Zealand

The match will start at 2 PM PKT.

Tournament Overview

This year’s ICC Champions Trophy will feature eight teams competing across four venues—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, along with Dubai, UAE. The tournament will run from February 19 to March 9.

For the first time since hosting the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup, Pakistan is welcoming a major ICC event. The last ICC final in the country was held at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia to claim the World Cup title.

In preparation for the event, Pakistan’s three host venues—Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, National Stadium Karachi, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium—have undergone significant upgrades to ensure world-class facilities for players and spectators.

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Legacy

Pakistan has also reached the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy on three previous occasions—in 2000, 2004, and 2009.

Tournament Format & Groups

Group A: Pakistan (hosts), Bangladesh, India, New Zealand
Group B: Afghanistan, Australia (current ODI World Cup champions), England, South Africa

Each team will play three group matches, with fixtures scheduled across Dubai, Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

Pakistan’s Group Stage Matches

February 19 – vs New Zealand (Karachi)
February 23 – vs India (Dubai)
February 27 – vs Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)

Knockout Stage & Final Venue

First Semi-Final: March 4, Dubai
Second Semi-Final: March 5, Lahore
Final: March 9, Lahore (if India does not qualify) or Dubai (if India qualifies)

Pakistan’s Captain & Squad

image-25 Pakistan Begins ICC Champions Trophy Title Defense Against New Zealand

Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, expressed his excitement about hosting the global event after 29 years.

“A global event has come to Pakistan after 29 years, so I believe the entire nation is celebrating this historic occasion. There are no doubts about our performance, we have worked hard and learned from our mistakes. We hope that we play well tomorrow, Insha’Allah.

Our sole focus is on winning the tournament for the country and our people, and we hope to achieve the desired results.”