The schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy has been announced ahead of the tournament’s long-awaited return in 2025.

The 50-over competition returns to the international calendar for the first time since 2017, with Pakistan staging a global cricket event for the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

The 2025 tournament is set to mirror the format used in 2017, with eight sides split into two groups of four. Each team plays the others in their pool once, after which the top two advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-final winners will then contest the final on March 9 in Lahore, where they will bid to get their hands on the Champions Trophy and an iconic white jacket.

Defending champions and hosts Pakistan are in Group A alongside Bangladesh, India and New Zealand, who they play in the opening game of the tournament in Karachi on February 19.

Group B is comprised of Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa, with England’s first match seeing them face old rivals Australia in Lahore on February 22 ahead of an unmissable contest between Pakistan and India on February 23 in Dubai.

Where are matches being played?

Stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi will host matches in Pakistan, with matches involving India will be held in Dubai.

The neutral venue in the United Arab Emirates was selected after the ICC confirmed all matches between Pakistan and India in ICC tournaments, both men and women’s and including next year’s Women’s World Cup, will be played at neutral venues up until at least 2027.

Political tensions between the two nations have led to strained sporting relations and India, cricket’s richest and most powerful country, have not played a game in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.

As a result, India will play in semi-final 1 in Dubai if they qualify, with Pakistan assigned semi-final 2 in Lahore if they progress. The final, which is scheduled to take place in Lahore on March 9, will also be moved to the UAE if India qualify.

What is the ICC Champions Trophy?

A mini-50-over World Cup, basically.

While the Word Cup is arguably bloated – the 2023 edition took over six weeks to complete – the Champions Trophy is short and sharp, done and dusted in around two weeks.

Pakistan are the defending champions having beaten great rivals India in the final at The Kia Oval six years ago, while India and Australia have won the most titles with two each.

ICC Champions Trophy schedule

Group A

• Feb 19: Pakistan v New Zealand (Karachi)
• Feb 20: Bangladesh v India (Dubai)
• Feb 23: Pakistan v India (Dubai)
• Feb 24: Bangladesh v New Zealand (Rawalpindi)
• Feb 27: Pakistan v Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
• Mar 2: New Zealand v India (Dubai)

Group B

• Feb 21: Afghanistan v South Africa (Karachi)
• Feb 22: Australia v England (Lahore)
• Feb 25: Australia v South Africa (Rawalpindi)
• Feb 26: Afghanistan v England (Lahore)
• Feb 28: Afghanistan v Australia (Lahore)
• Mar 1: South Africa v England (Karachi)

Semi-finals

• Mar 4: Semi-final 1, A1 v B2 (Dubai)
• Mar 5: Semi-final 2, A2 v B1 (Lahore)

Final

• Mar 9: Winner of semi-final 1 v Winner of semi-final 2 (Lahore)

Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.