Champions Trophy Begins: Can Pakistan Defend Its Title?
News Desk
Karachi: The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will commence in Pakistan on Wednesday, with defending champions Pakistan facing New Zealand in the tournament’s opening match at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The match is set to begin at 2:00 PM PKT.
The eight-team tournament will take place across three venues in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—as well as in Dubai, UAE, from February 19 to March 9.
This marks Pakistan’s first time hosting an ICC event since the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup, which concluded with the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia by seven wickets.
In preparation for the event, Pakistan’s three host venues—Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Stadium in Karachi, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium—have undergone extensive renovations to provide world-class facilities for players and spectators.
Pakistan, winners of the 2017 edition, enter the tournament as defending champions. Led by Sarfaraz Ahmed in 2017, Pakistan triumphed over India in the final, with Fakhar Zaman scoring an outstanding 114 off 106 deliveries and Hasan Ali earning the Player of the Tournament title for his 13 wickets in five matches.
The eight participating teams are divided into two groups:
Group A: Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand
Group B: Afghanistan, Australia (current ODI World Cup champions), England, South Africa
Pakistan’s group stage fixtures:
February 19 – vs New Zealand (Karachi)
February 23 – vs India (Dubai)
February 27 – vs Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
Each venue : Dubai, Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage matches.
The first semi-final will be held on March 4 in Dubai, while Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the second semi-final on March 5. If India does not qualify for the final, it will take place at Gaddafi Stadium on March 9; otherwise, the final will be played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan has previously reached the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy on three occasions—in 2000, 2004, and 2009.
Captain Rizwan’s Statement:
“A global event has come to Pakistan after 29 years, and I believe the entire nation is celebrating this historic occasion. We have worked hard, learned from our mistakes, and are confident in our performance. Our sole focus is on winning the tournament for our country and our people, and we hope to achieve the desired results.”
Pakistan’s 15-Player Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wicket-keeper)
Abrar Ahmed
Babar Azam
Faheem Ashraf
Fakhar Zaman
Haris Rauf
Kamran Ghulam
Khushdil Shah
Mohammad Hasnain
Naseem Shah
Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain)
Saud Shakeel
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Tayyab Tahir
Usman Khan
