Pakistan Cricket Board signs Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights with ICC

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) signed the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025 with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 15, Friday. PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and ICC General Counsel Jonathan Hall were present during the signing at the headquarters in Dubai.

A few weeks ago, reports did rounds that the tournament is set to be shifted from Pakistan due to security concerns. With the BCCI highly unlikely to send the Indian team to Pakistan, there were speculations that the event would be shifted.

In a press release, the PCB stated that they had already started preparing for the marquee competition, especially in the aspect of providing security measures.

"The PCB in its capacity has already intimated the government to provide foolproof security to visiting international teams for the Champions Trophy. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in a recent meeting with Chairman PCB Management Committee assured the security agencies’ cooperation in the successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025."

The announcement of the sub-continent nation hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy was made on November 16, 2021, after the T20 World Cup. With uncertainty still looming, ICC could consider relocating the event or adopting a hybrid model similar to Asia Cup 2023.

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Pakistan will start as defending champions ahead of the 2025 edition

Champions Trophy 2017 winners. (Credits: ICC Twitter)

The potential hosts will also start as favorites for the 2025 Champions Trophy, having won the coveted crown in 2017. Sarfraz Ahmed's men didn't start the tournament promisingly but beat sides like Sri Lanka, South Africa, and England to set up a mouth-watering final clash with India.

Batting first at The Oval, the Men in Green piled on 338, headlined by a century from Fakhar Zaman. Later, their quick bowlers rattled an in-form Indian batting unit and bundled them out for 158. Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali were the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets each.