Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) signed the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy 2025 with ICC. The customs were completed at the ICC headquarters in Dubai. PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and ICC General Counsel Jonathan Hall were present during the meeting.
Rumors about the Champions Trophy shifting to a different country pointing the security reasons have been circling in social media for a notable period now. With BCCI standing uptight on the decision to not send the Indian Team to Pakistan based on the political issues between the countries it looked certain that the tournament would be shifted to a different location.
PCB has assured the security of all the players- PCB’s press release
The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that they started the preparations for the marquee event, particularly in the area of security measures. In a press release on Friday, PCB stated,
“The PCB in its capacity has already intimated the government to provide foolproof security to visiting international teams for the Champions Trophy. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in a recent meeting with Chairman PCB Management Committee assured the security agencies’ cooperation in the successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” the statement said.
The news on the Champions Trophy first came up when ICC announced the host nations for the next 10 years on November 16, 2021, just after the end of the T20 World Cup in Australia. With BCCI still not responding to this, there is a possibility that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in a hybrid format similar to the Asia Cup 2023.
Potential Hosts Pakistan will start the tournament as Defending Champions
Potential Hosts Pakistan will start the Champions Trophy 2025 as the defending Champions. Pakistan won the prestigious tournament previously in 2017 in England and will be looking to repeat the same on home soil.
The Pakistan cricket team’s journey in the 2017 Champions Trophy was a remarkable tale of redemption and triumph. Heading into the tournament as the lowest-ranked team, Pakistan defied all odds to clinch the title, showcasing their resilience and skill.
The campaign began on a shaky note with a heavy loss to arch-rivals India in the opening match. However, the team, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed, displayed incredible character, making a stunning comeback. In a virtual quarter-final against South Africa, Pakistan’s bowlers, especially Hasan Ali and Junaid Khan, rattled the opposition, setting the stage for a comeback.
The real turning point came in the semi-final against tournament favorites England. Pakistan, bowling first, bundled out England for just 215 runs. The batsmen rose to the occasion and chased the total in 37 overs securing a spot in the final.
In the title clash against India, Pakistan played at their best. Batting first Fakhar Zaman continued his good form scoring a stellar century, while the bowling unit, led by Mohammad Amir, demolished the Indian top order and Hasan Ali also picked 3 wickets as India was bundled for 158. Pakistan emerged victorious, claiming their first-ever Champions Trophy.
Also Read: IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders Confirm Shreyas Iyer As The Captain For Upcoming Marquee Tournament