Team India's fixtures for the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have been announced. All eight teams in the tournament have been divided into two groups of four teams each. India has been clubbed in Group A along with Bangladesh, and New Zealand, and hosts Pakistan.
Group B comprises Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. The tournament is likely to be played between February 19 and March 9 with March 10 stated to be the reserve day. The hosting rights for the whole tournament have been given to Pakistan.
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India's group stage fixtures for Champions Trophy 2025
According to The Telegraph, the marquee clash between India and Pakistan will be played on March 1. Lahore's iconic Gaddafi Stadium is likely to host this big game. All of India's matches will be held in Lahore due to logistical reasons.
The Men in Blue will open their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. Afterwards, they will play New Zealand on February 23. After a big gap of six days, they will be up against the home side Pakistan on March 1.
It is understood that the PCB has submitted the draft of the 15-match tournament but the Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to give its consent to the tentative schedule. According to the reports, seven matches will be played in Lahore, five in Rawalpindi, and three in Karachi.
All the board chiefs of the participating countries have assured Pakistan of full support except the BCCI, which will consult the government of India and inform the ICC.
India to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025?
It is highly likely that the Government of India to not allow the Indian team to travel to Pakistan due to security reasons. The last time India travelled to Pakistan was in the 2008 Asia Cup.
Since then, the relations between the two countries have gone from bad to worse. If India refuses to travel to Pakistan, the tournament is likely to adopt a hybrid model.
The last time these two teams played a bilateral series was in 2013 when Pakistan travelled to India for an ODI and a T20I series. The T20I series was drawn 1-1 while Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1.
Meanwhile, India refused to travel to Pakistan in last year's Asia Cup which prompted the tournament to adopt a hybrid model. As a result, all of India's matches in the Asia Cup 2023 were played in Sri Lanka, including the final. India beat Sri Lanka in the final to clinch a record eighth Asia Cup.
Before the Asia Cup, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja stated that if India doesn't come to Pakistan, then Pakistan won't come to India for the ODI World Cup 2023 as well. However, Pakistan came to participate in the ODI World Cup 2023 and played their matches in five Indian cities, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
Pakistan had a dismal performance in the tournament and failed to qualify for the semifinals. On the other hand, the home team India finished as runners-up.
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