The World Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy returns upcoming an eight-year hiatus, with Pakistan website hosting the event from February 19 to March 9.
The event would be the ICC’s simplest males’s limited-overs pageant in 2025, with 8 groups vying to raise the trophy and embellish the winners’ white blazers.
Right here’s Al Jazeera’s extreme information to the event:
What’s the Champions Trophy and why is it so most important for Pakistan?
The championship, at the start named the ICC Knockout, used to be conceived as an elite event amongst cricket’s Check-playing international locations and devised to fill the four-year hole between the ICC’s 50-over Global Cup and support extend the sport globally.
The inaugural version used to be held in Bangladesh in 1998 and received through South Africa.
With the advent of the ICC T20 Global Cup in 2007 and the ICC Global Check Championship in 2019, the Champions Trophy used to be discontinued upcoming the 2017 version, which used to be hosted through England and received through Pakistan.
Because the event makes its comeback for the 9th version, the holders are website hosting Pakistan’s largest world recreation match in 29 years.
The South Asian country closing hosted an ICC match in 1996, and the March 2009 gun assault at the Sri Lankan cricket group’s bus in Lahore brought about the cancelation or disruption {of professional} cricket excursions in Pakistan for future years.
For Pakistan, website hosting a a hit world event can support trade the rustic’s perceptions, cricket mavens advised Al Jazeera.
Which groups are taking part within the Champions Trophy 2025 and what’s the structure?
Hosts Pakistan and the height seven ODI groups from the 2023 Cricket Global Cup organization certified for the Champions Trophy. The event has been divided right into a easy group-stage and knockout-stage structure.
The 2025 version sees high-flying limited-overs facet Afghanistan manufacture their event debut.
Following their round-robin fixtures, the height two groups from each and every organization will qualify for the semifinals.
Workforce A: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Republic of India, Unused Zealand
Workforce B: Australia, South Africa, Afghanistan, England
Afghanistan are gearing up for his or her maiden #ChampionsTrophy trip 🏏 pic.twitter.com/LSYyv71XuM
— ICC (@ICC) February 13, 2025
When is the hole tournament and when is the Champions Trophy ultimate?
Pakistan will host Unused Zealand within the event opener at Karachi’s Nationwide Stadium on Thursday, February 19.
The overall is scheduled for March 9, with the venue topic to Republic of India’s qualification for the tournament.
Workforce degree fits shall be held from February 19 to March 2 and the semifinals shall be performed on March 4 and 5.
The event’s complete tournament time table is to be had right here.
Why aren’t Republic of India gambling their fits in Pakistan?
Up till a couple of weeks prior to the hole fixture, the event’s time table hinged on Republic of India’s refusal – ostensibly in keeping with their govt’s instructions – to move to Pakistan and the host country’s reluctance to go their neighbour’s fits to a impartial venue.
The months-long standoff used to be resolved when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) begrudgingly approved a tit-for-tat hybrid fashion for the event, in which Republic of India would play games its Champions Trophy fits at a impartial venue and Pakistan would do the similar for any then ICC occasions hosted through Republic of India.
The ICC and the PCB after indubitably to go Republic of India’s 3 organization fits and one semifinal to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The overall is about to be hosted at Pakistan’s cricket headquarters in Lahore however may just go to Dubai must Republic of India qualify for it.
The place will the Champions Trophy fits be performed?
Pakistan decided on Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi as its 3 host towns for the event. Dubai used to be added to the record as a impartial venue in December 2024.
- Nationwide Stadium, Karachi: One of the most oldest and most renowned cricket disciplines in Pakistan, the Nationwide Stadium has hosted loads of iconic Assessments and limited-overs fits since its opening in 1955. The 30,000-capacity venue in Pakistan’s greatest and maximum populous town has passed through main refurbishment for the Champions Trophy and can host the event’s opening tournament.
- Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: The headquarters of the PCB and Pakistan’s Nationwide Cricket Academy, Gaddafi Stadium is steeped in historical past and has hosted the general of the ICC Cricket Global Cup in 1996, when Sri Lanka lifted the trophy in entrance of a rapturous public. Situated within the town referred to as the thrashing middle of Pakistan, the 34,000-capacity venue will host 3 organization fits, the second one semifinal and the general – topic to Republic of India’s qualification.
- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: In spite of its reasonably smaller measurement and capability of 18,000, the Pindi Stadium is legendary for at all times being packed to the rafters for many world fixtures – whether or not Check fits or limited-overs video games. The venue’s location within the Pakistani capital Islamabad’s dual town makes it simply available for enthusiasts. It’s going to host 3 organization fits, together with Pakistan’s fixture towards Bangladesh on February 27.
- Dubai World Cricket Stadium, UAE: Within the 16 years since its foundation, the venue has established itself as Pakistan and the ICC’s go-to “neutral” venue for world tournaments. With its trendy “ring of fire” lights and compact design, the venue is about to transform a cauldron when Republic of India play games their 3 organization video games, together with the all-important tournament towards Pakistan. Dubai can even host the primary semifinal on March 4 and the general on March 9, must Republic of India qualify.
When and the place is the Republic of India vs Pakistan organization tournament?
Week the marquee fixture used to be at the start scheduled for Lahore on March 2, the tournament used to be moved to Sunday, February 23, in Dubai following an deadlock and eventual commitment between each international locations.
Because of the abeyance of bilateral excursions between the South Asian opponents, the groups play games each and every alternative simplest all over the ICC tournaments, making this tournament the one Republic of India vs Pakistan males’s fixture in 2025.
Temperatures will run lofty off and on the grassland as enthusiasts from each international locations and world wide are anticipated to store the venue, and gamers will glance to snatch the chance to realize bragging rights in one of the crucial eagerly-awaited sports activities fixtures of the yr.
The primary ball shall be bowled at 09:00 GMT, however Al Jazeera’s reside build-up to the tournament will start at 04:00 GMT.
Which groups are favourites to win the Champions Trophy?
Al Jazeera’s height alternatives for the identify are:
- Pakistan: The protecting champions are favourites now not simplest as hosts but additionally in keeping with their fresh run of fine mode within the ODI structure. Mohammad Rizwan’s facet would love not anything not up to to win an ICC identify at house – a feat they haven’t completed in two earlier makes an attempt.
- Republic of India: The ICC’s top-ranked ODI group input the Champions Trophy at the again of a 3-0 drubbing of England and with the T20 international identify within the bag. The event might neatly grant because the adieu to ODI cricket for a few of Republic of India’s largest icons, together with captain Rohit Sharma and celebrity batter Virat Kohli.
- Unused Zealand: The unassuming Blackcaps have snuck their approach to the height quarter of ICC’s ODI ratings following a tri-nation layout win in Pakistan and can glance to win their 2nd Champions Trophy identify since 2000.
Who’re the height gamers to look at?
The height 5 gamers picked through Al Jazeera are:
- Babar Azam (Pakistan)
- Shubman Gill (Republic of India)
- Jos Buttler (England)
- Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
Which height gamers will pass over the event?
Australia’s Global Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins and Republic of India’s world-leading week bowler Jasprit Bumrah are the largest names lacking from their respective groups’ rosters.
Right here’s Al Jazeera’s information to the total squads.
What’s the prize cash for the Champions Trophy?
The ICC has dramatically higher the whole prize for the event to $6.9m, a 53 % build up from the closing version.
Right here’s a breakdown of the whole:
- Champions: $2.24m
- Runners-up: $1.12m
- Dropping semifinalists: $560,000
- 5th and 6th place: $350,000
- 7th and 8th place: $140,000
Who’re the age winners?
Amongst this version’s members, each Australia and Republic of India have received the event two times, day Bangladesh and England are but to win the identify.
- 1998: South Africa
- 2000: Unused Zealand
- 2002: Republic of India and Sri Lanka (joint winners)
- 2004: West Indies
- 2006: Australia
- 2009: Australia
- 2013: Republic of India
- 2017: Pakistan
Are there any particular regulations, gambling situations or secure days for the Champions Trophy?
The sport’s usual regulations and rules for an ODI tournament follow to all fixtures.
Will have to a tournament lead to a join, the winner shall be ambitious via a perfect over – an spare over in line with facet that serves as an eliminator in keeping with the group successful the one-over competition.
The issues device will see the successful group bag two issues, day a incorrect outcome will see either side go away with one level apiece.
The semifinal spots shall be allotted to the height two groups from each and every organization in keeping with their issues. Will have to there be a join on issues, the group with essentially the most wins will qualify and if that leads to a join, the group with the upper internet run price will manufacture the short.
Each the semifinals and the general had been allotted secure days.
How can enthusiasts purchase tickets for the Champions Trophy?
Tickets for the event had been excepted on a phase-by-phase foundation through the ICC on its legitimate on-line price ticket platform and distributors throughout Pakistan.
Tickets for the general shall be made in the stores upcoming the belief of the primary semifinal in Dubai, because the venue shall be showed in keeping with Republic of India’s destiny within the event.
Tips on how to practice and flow the Champions Trophy fits?
The event shall be streamed through a variety of legitimate TV, virtual and radio broadcasters throughout diverse areas.
Al Jazeera Recreation will handover reside pre-match build-up, in addition to textual content and photograph statement flow for the pick out of the group-stage fits and all 3 knockout video games.
What’s cricket and the way is it performed?
It’s a easy sport of bat and ball, involving 11 gamers in each and every group however the regulations can get a minute sophisticated. Al Jazeera breaks it indisposed for you right here.
