The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed plans for a groundbreaking ODI Tri-Series featuring New Zealand and South Africa, setting the stage for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. The announcement came as part of the PCB’s detailed presentation of home and away schedules for the 2024–25 cricket season, unveiled on Friday, June 4th.
In an official statement, the PCB confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Team will be “participating in the first ODI tri-series in 21 years in the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on home turf.”
PCB announces historic ODI Tri-Series with New Zealand and South Africa ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The upcoming historic ODI Tri-Series will showcase Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa competing from February 8 to 14 at Multan International Cricket Stadium. Each team will play against the others once during the series, promising thrilling matches.
In addition, the PCB announced that Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February 19 to March 9. The full schedule for this prestigious event in Pakistan will be unveiled by the International Cricket Council (ICC) within the next week.
Moreover, the PCB confirmed the participation of Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, highlighting the global significance of the tournament.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 set to get underway on February 19 in Pakistan
The Champions Trophy 2025 is set to commence on February 19, culminating with the final on March 9. While the PCB provided initial dates, further specifics about the tournament will be disclosed by the ICC in the coming weeks.
Amidst this, there is speculation that the BCCI may advocate for neutral venues for their matches in the tournament. This expectation arises from the longstanding political tensions between India and Pakistan, which have prevented bilateral cricketing engagements between the two nations.
The PCB stated: “Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is currently undergoing redesign and redevelopment work as part of preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but is expected to be ready to stage most of the high-profile matches from February 19 to March 9.”
Schedule for Pakistan’s ODI Tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa:
8 February; First ODI – Pakistan vs New Zealand at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan
10 February; Second ODI – New Zealand vs South Africa at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan
12 February; Third ODI – Pakistan vs South Africa at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan
14 February – Final at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan
BCCI yet to confirm India’s visit to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Recently, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah expressed India’s ambitions in cricket, highlighting their targets for the upcoming years. Shah emphasized that following their success in the T20 World Cup in 2024, India’s focus will shift towards clinching the World Test Championship and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
Shah also confirmed the participation of senior players such as Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma in the ICC Champions Trophy 2024. However, he did not disclose whether the Indian team would travel to Pakistan for the tournament, similar to their approach during the Asia Cup 2023. It is expected that BCCI will propose neutral venues for India’s matches in the Champions Trophy next year, echoing their stance from previous tournaments.
The final decision on India’s participation and the scheduling details will depend on the ICC’s official announcements in due course.
