Mumbai
Win Projections to be updated soon
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suggested a starting date of February 19 for the Champions Trophy next year in Pakistan. The tournament is expected to run from February 19 to March 9, with matches scheduled in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. Karachi will host three games, including the tournament opener and a semi-final, while Lahore will host seven matches, including the final. One of the semi-finals will take place at Pindi Cricket Ground.
Various ICC officials have visited Pakistan to assess the arrangements for hosting the first ICC tournament in the country since the 1996 World Cup. Positive feedback has been received from the ICC regarding logistics and arrangements, allowing the PCB to move forward with its plans.
If the current dates are finalized, a portion of the tournament will coincide with Ramadan, similar to the knock-out stage of the PSL last year. Efforts were made to accommodate this by adjusting game start times to 9pm, however, with the Champions Trophy being an ODI tournament, this may not be possible. This means that some matches will take place during the fasting hours of Ramadan.
The participation of the Indian team remains a major question leading up to the event. India has not played in Pakistan since 2008, and bilateral series between the two countries have been scarce. The final decision on India’s participation rests with the Indian government. Other teams participating in the Champions Trophy have previously visited Pakistan since cricket returned to the country in 2015. Additionally, Pakistan will host an ODI tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand before the tournament.
