Champions Trophy 2025: Low-profile opening ceremony on the cards

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mulling an option to hold a low-profile opening ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy on February 16 at Hazuri Bagh Lahore due to delayed arrival of teams from England and Australia.

Australia, who are engaged in the series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, will play their last ODI on February 14 at Colombo and they will take a few days rest before arriving in Pakistan on February 19.

The Aussies will also skip the option of playing any warm-up match and will enter into the event directly after holding some training sessions for their Group B journey against Afghanistan, South Africa and England.

Sources confirmed toNukta that England team will arrive in Pakistan on February 18 and so will also directly enter the event which they have never won.

Both England and Australia will begin their title quest with their match against each other on February 22 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

India is also not available as it is going to play its matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“None of the eight captains will be available to attend the February 16 event in Lahore,” a highly credible source told Nukta.

The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19 to March 9. India will play all its matches in Dubai. If it reaches the final then the final will also be held in Dubai.

However, if India face exit in the group stage or in the semi-finals then the decider will be hosted by newly-constructed Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

Initially there were also news circulating that India’s captain Rohit Sharma will also arrive in Pakistan’s to attend the captains conference and pre-event photoshoot but the situation now is different.

A February 16 event at Lahore, if held, is expected to have the ICC officials, some cricketers and state dignitaries.

The source also confirmed that Gaddafi Stadium, which has passed through massive renovation, will be formally opened on February 7. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif is expected to grace the occasion.

Similarly National Stadium Karachi, which also passed through partial renovation, will be opened on February 11. President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari is expected to be the chief guest.

Tri-nation series

Before the Champions Trophy, a tri-nation series involving Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, will be held at Lahore and Karachi respectively from February 8-14.

For the series, New Zealand will arrive in Lahore on February 4 while South Africa will be landing on February 5.

The opening game of the series will be held between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 8 at Gaddafi Stadium while on February 10 South Africa will take on New Zealand at the same venue.

On February 12, Pakistan will meet South Africa at Karachi’s National Stadium while the final will be held on February 14 at the same venue.