ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Tournament schedule announcement date leaked amid India-Pakistan tensions

With less than 100 days remaining until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway in Pakistan, the schedule and fixtures of the prestigious ODI tournament are yet to be announced. This delay has fueled uncertainty, but it is being said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to finalize and reveal the details by the end of this week.

Discussions between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are ongoing, particularly to address security concerns raised by India. India, one of the eight participating nations, has declined to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, citing government restrictions.

ICC to announce Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures this week

According to IANS, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to finalize and announce the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by the end of this week, following ongoing discussions with the PCB to address India's concerns.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly conveyed their decision to the ICC that they are not sending the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the much-awaited tournament, majorly due to the security concerns for which the government didn’t give them clearance.

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In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has demanded a clear explanation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the BCCI’s stance and is reportedly considering escalating the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if a solution cannot be reached.

PCB wants to host ICC Champions Trophy 2025 exclusively in Pakistan amid India’s boycott threat

The PCB has maintained its position to host the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 entirely in Pakistan, refusing to consider a hybrid model like those used during the 2023 Asia Cup for the tournament. In the Asia Cup last year, Pakistan shared hosting duties with Sri Lanka, hosting India’s matches in the island nation after the BCCI’s similar stance.

Despite India not crossing the border for the Asia Cup 2023, the Pakistan cricket team participated in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India despite reservations from the national government. So, the PCB now wants similar fairness from the BCCI and ICC over their participation in the upcoming mega event.

Amid the uncertainty, the ICC has launched the Trophy Tour for the Champions Trophy 2025 to build anticipation among fans across the world. The tour began in Islamabad, where the iconic Champions Trophy was showcased at prominent landmarks, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque, and the Pakistan Monument.

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I believe that sports and politics are separate: Mohsin Naqvi

The Champions Trophy 2025 launch event featured Pakistan’s pace bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar, who accompanied the trophy on its journey through the capital. While efforts to address India's concerns continue, the path to resolving the standoff remains unclear, leaving the fate of the tournament’s schedule and hosting arrangements in jeopardy.

Recently, the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi said that he still remains optimistic about the positive response from the ICC over the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which is the first ICC event Pakistan will be hosting since 1996, and they have made almost all the preparations for the tournament.

Mohsin Naqvi said at a press interaction at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium: “We have sent them [the ICC] the questions we had. We are still waiting for their response. I believe that sports and politics are separate and no country should mix the two. Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy.”