ICC Champions Trophy 2025: International Cricket Council sends fresh delegation to Pakistan after Jay Shah's appointment

A delegation of five members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) arrived in Karachi, Pakistan on September 17, Tuesday to oversee the preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

It will be a visit of four days. The ICC delegation will oversee the preparations for all three stadiums where the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played. After inspecting the preparations for the National Stadium in Karachi, the team will move to Rawalpindi and Lahore.

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ICC team arrives in Pakistan to gauge Champions Trophy preparations

Alongside inspecting the stadium, the ICC team will also oversee the practice facilities for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and hotels during their four-day stay. They will also meet the management of the hotels where the teams and the officials are expected to stay.

The delegation involves ICC officials like the senior events manager, security manager, events manager, production manager, and general manager. The inspection will start from Karachi on September 18.

The officials will then move to Islamabad on September 20 before moving to Lahore. They will depart Pakistan from Lahore to Dubai on September 21, where the ICC headquarters is situated.

Renovations going behind schedule

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played at three venues in Pakistan - Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.

According to some local news outlets, the renovation work at the designated venues for the tournament is behind schedule at the moment. But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is highly confident that it will be completed well before time.

"The redevelopment of the stadia in Karachi and Lahore is progressing rapidly and the PCB is confident that the construction companies will meet their targets on time. These upgrades are not just a necessity but a critical step in elevating our venues to meet the expectations of the modern game," a PCB spokesperson was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

"The two stadia required significant improvements to provide world-class facilities and enhanced experiences for fans, players, officials, and broadcasters alike. The PCB is resolutely committed to showcasing our venues as world-class destinations, adhering to the highest international standards and reinforcing our position on the global sporting stage," the spokesperson added.

A few ICC officials have already visited Pakistan a few times this year. ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley, ICC Pitch Consultant Andy Atkinson, and ICC Security Manager David Mucker are those officials and they have arrived thrice in the country since April.

But the current set of officials will see new faces as the board has seen a few resignations of some of the senior functionaries. ICC has also seen a new chairman recently in the form of Jay Shah.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Draft schedule submitted by PCB

The PCB has already submitted a draft schedule of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to which the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played from February 19 to March 9. However, the delay is due to the non-confirmation of India's travel to the country.

India have often cited security concerns over the past few years as the main reason behind their denial.

The BCCI has clearly stated that the ball is in the court of the Indian government and India's travel will depend on the government's approval. It remains to be seen whether the government allows India to travel or not but the chances of allowing it are too low.

If India refuses to travel to Pakistan, the ICC and the PCB are likely to look forward to a hybrid model for the tournament in which India's matches and the final will be played outside Pakistan. A similar situation occurred in the Asia Cup last year.