By Ian Omoro

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) chief executive, Geoff Allardice, has reaffirmed that there are currently no plans to move the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from Pakistan, which is set to begin in February-March 2025.

In preparation for hosting a big tournament, extensive construction is underway at key stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. High-profile matches will be hosted at these venues as they are being refurbished to meet international standards.

Nonetheless, there have been a lot of rumours that the competition will be moved outside of Pakistan. This may occur as a result of the Indian team’s decision to skip the competition in Pakistan due to safety concerns and political unrest between the two nations.

Allardice reassured reporters during a press conference for the Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai that no teams had indicated they would rather not play in the competition, in response to queries regarding the location.

Under former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, Pakistan, the defending ICC Champions of the Trophy Champions, defeated India in a thrilling final played in England in 2017 to claim the trophy. Allardice expressed her happiness that Pakistan was the tournament’s host nation, pointing out that the International Cricket Council regularly travels to all of its member nations, including Pakistan, to guarantee the smooth staging of events.

Allardice highlighted that all participating teams are dedicated to playing in Pakistan, despite previous setbacks. Eight top teams will compete in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, sometimes known as the “Mini World Cup”: South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand, England, and India. This season will not feature competitions from Sri Lanka or the West Indies.

The PCB is particularly excited about the forthcoming competition because it’s their first opportunity to host an ICC event since they shared hosting duties for the 1996 World Cup. On the other hand, India’s involvement might be dangerous. It’s interesting to note that India hasn’t competed in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, and the two nations’ bilateral ties have essentially been on hold for a while.