Champions Trophy 2025: Dubai To Host All India Matches
by Devesh Jaganath | by Cydias Aujard
The Reason Behind Dubai hosting India’s Matches
The Champions Trophy 2025 will mark Pakistan’s first ICC event since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka. Matches are scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, with each venue hosting three group-stage matches, while the latter will also be the venue for the second semi-final.
However, a recent change implemented by the tournament governing body has resulted in a change in plans, with India’s matches now set to be held in Dubai. Owing to strained political relations between the neighbouring countries, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), following advice from the Indian government, has declined to send the Men in Blue to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy. This decision followed diplomatic talks between Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, a senior UAE minister and head of the Emirates Cricket Board.
With this agreement in place, Dubai is now the venue for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash scheduled for February 23. The other two teams in India’s group are Bangladesh and New Zealand and the Men in Blue will face them on February 20 and March 2 respectively, also in the UAE. The second group features Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa, and no changes have been implemented to their original hosting arrangement.
Semi-final 1 will involve India if they qualify and will be played in Dubai. Similarly, semi-final 2 will involve Pakistan if they qualify and will go ahead as originally intended. Lahore has been confirmed as the destination for the Grand Final, but according to the updated tournament schedule, if India qualifies for the final, the match will be played in the UAE. The ICC also confirmed that both the semi-finals and the final will have designated reserve days.
Notably, this agreement will start with the Champions Trophy and extends to the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Beyond that, it will cover the 2028 Women’s T20 World Cup - the first event of the next cycle - which has been awarded to Pakistan.
India Champions Trophy 2025 Match Schedule (Revised)
The eight-team competition will commence on February 19, with Pakistan taking on New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi, as the first of 15 matches set to take place across Pakistan and Dubai.
- Bangladesh vs India - (Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | Feb 20, 09:00)
- Pakistan vs India - (Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | Feb 23, 09:00)
- New Zealand vs India - (Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | March 4, 09:00)
