ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India to Play All Matches in Dubai, Opening Ceremony in Lahore

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to commence on February 19, with matches taking place in Pakistan and Dubai. However, the pre-tournament captains’ meeting has been canceled, according to a report by Cricket Pakistan. The decision was made due to the delayed arrival of certain teams in Pakistan.
As per the report, England and Australia will be reaching Pakistan later than initially planned. England is scheduled to arrive in Lahore on February 18, while Australia will land the following day. Given these circumstances, hosting the captains’ meeting before the tournament opener has been deemed unfeasible.
The Champions Trophy will kick off on February 19 with a match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. Meanwhile, India will be playing all its matches in Dubai. The Indian team is placed in a group alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. Their campaign will begin on February 20 against Bangladesh, followed by a highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 23.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in coordination with the ICC, has scheduled the Champions Trophy opening ceremony for February 16 in Lahore. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reportedly approved the list of events leading up to the tournament.
Additionally, the PCB is set to officially inaugurate the renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited as the chief guest. Similarly, on February 11, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to attend a ceremony in Karachi to mark the reopening of the refurbished National Stadium.
Meanwhile, there is uncertainty regarding Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s participation in the opening ceremony in Lahore. While the ICC and PCB have yet to confirm his attendance, several reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reluctant to send him to Pakistan.