The ICC has officially announced its schedule for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, making official the much-awaited showdown between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23, 2025. The six-team tournament is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, and owing to the political tensions the tournament will be played out in a hybrid model-the matches featuring India will all be played in Dubai only.
While the tournament will take place across three venues in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—India’s matches, including the knockout rounds, will all be played in Dubai. This arrangement follows a decision made after India declined to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
India has been placed in Group A. The countries in Group A include Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. Dubai International Cricket Stadium will be the central venue for these matches, making Dubai a central point for their participation in the tournament.
India and Pakistan last faced off in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where India triumphed by a dramatic six-run margin in New York. Their most recent ODI encounter was during the 2023 Cricket World Cup, when India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Full ICC Champions Trophy 2025 schedule:
Group Stage Matches:
- 19 Feb – Pakistan vs New Zealand, National Stadium, Karachi
- 20 Feb – Bangladesh vs India, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
- 21 Feb – Afghanistan vs South Africa, National Stadium, Karachi
- 22 Feb – Australia vs England, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- 23 Feb – Pakistan vs India, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
- 24 Feb – Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- 25 Feb – Australia vs South Africa, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- 26 Feb – Afghanistan vs England, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- 27 Feb – Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- 28 Feb – Afghanistan vs Australia, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- 1 Mar – South Africa vs England, National Stadium, Karachi
- 2 Mar – New Zealand vs India, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Knockout rounds:
- 4 Mar – Semi-final 1, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai*
- 5 Mar – Semi-final 2, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore**
- 9 Mar – Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore***
All matches start at 14:00 Pakistan standard time.
- *Semi-final 1 will include India if they qualify.
- **Semi-final 2 will feature Pakistan if they qualify.
- ***The final will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, if India makes it to the final.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is expected to be a thrilling event with plenty of high-stakes encounters, including the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the group stage.