PoK regions dropped as ICC announces revised 2025 Champions Trophy tour schedule following controversy

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday, November 16, announced the revised schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy tour through a release on its official website. Significantly, the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) regions featured in the earlier schedule released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been dropped.

PCB released the trophy tour schedule on Friday, November 15, which included the cities of Skardu, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad located in PoK. As per reports, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah strongly objected to the schedule. Some reports claimed that the PCB didn’t consult stakeholders, including the ICC, before announcing the schedule.

Following the controversy, the ICC released a revised 2025 Champions Trophy tour schedule. The tour kicked off in Islamabad on Saturday and will also head to Karachi, Abbottabad, and Taxila later.

As per the official schedule, 'the prestigious silverware will journey across the eight participating nations during the Tour'. The Pakistan leg of the tour concludes on November 25 after which the trophy will head to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, England, and, finally, India.

Speaking at the launch event of the 2025 Champions Trophy tour, Anurag Dahiya, ICC Chief Commercial Officer, commented:

“We are delighted to launch the Trophy Tour with DP World ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, where another action-packed programme of activity is available to fans across the world."

"The silverware, which will be showcased across all participating nations, will allow the sport’s passionate fan base to enjoy the unforgettable experience of being up close with the iconic trophy,” Dahiya went on to add.

Meanwhile, even as the ICC has confirmed the revised 2025 Champions Trophy tour schedule, uncertainty over the tournament remains. India have made it clear that they will not visit Pakistan for the tournament, while the PCB is unwilling to organize the event in a hybrid model.

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Key dates of the 2025 Champions Trophy Tour

November 16: Islamabad, Pakistan

November 17: Taxila and Khanpur, Pakistan

November 18: Abbottabad, Pakistan

November 19: Murree, Pakistan

November 20: Nathia Gali, Pakistan

November 22-25: Karachi, Pakistan

November 26-28: Afghanistan

December 10-13: Bangladesh

December 15-22: South Africa

December 25-January 5: Australia

January 6-11: New Zealand

January 12-14: England

January 15-26: India

January 27: Event starts (Pakistan)