The International Cricket Council’s prestigious Champions Trophy 2025 is set to make its long-awaited return after an eight-year hiatus, with Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates jointly hosting the tournament from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
The ninth edition of the elite competition will feature the world’s top eight ODI teams, all of whom qualified through their rankings at the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The tournament format comprises two groups of four teams, with each team playing three group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, followed by the final, totalling 15 matches across 19 days.
Defending champions Pakistan, who clinched their last title in 2017, face the unique pressure of protecting their crown while co-hosting the event. This marks a significant milestone for Pakistan cricket, as the nation continues its journey to regularly host major international tournaments.
The tournament’s return to the cricket calendar represents a major development for the sport, offering a concentrated format that showcases high-stakes cricket between the world’s premier ODI teams. The coveted white jackets, synonymous with Champions Trophy success, await the victors in what promises to be an intense competition across the Pakistan-UAE venues.
Key Highlights
- Hybrid Hosting Model: Pakistan has hosted its first global tournament since 1996, with Dubai, due to political tensions, serving as the neutral venue for India’s matches.
- Format: Two groups of four teams each, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. The final’s venue (Lahore or Dubai) hinges on India’s qualification.
- Squads: Each team named a 15-player roster, with notable absences like India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Australia’s Pat Cummins due to injuries.
Groups and Teams
The tournament’s got a pretty exciting setup! The eight teams are split into two groups, with four teams each. Here’s how it’ll play out:
First, every team takes on the other three teams in their group – kind of like a round-robin mini-league. That gives us twelve thrilling matchups right there.
Once those matches wrap up, the real drama begins! The two teams that performed best in each group moved on to the semifinals. From there, it’s do-or-die: win your semi-final, and you’re heading to the big finale!
All in all, we’ll get to enjoy 15 matches of top-notch cricket spread across 19 action-packed days. Pretty compact schedule, right? That means almost non-stop cricket action for fans to feast on!
Group A
| Team | Captain | Key Players | Best Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Mohammad Rizwan | Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi | Champions (2017) |
| India | Rohit Sharma | Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami | Champions (2002, 2013) |
| New Zealand | Mitchell Santner | Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra | Champions (2000) |
| Bangladesh | Najmul Shanto | Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman | Semi-finals (2017) |
Group B
| Team | Captain | Key Players | Best Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Steve Smith | Travis Head, Adam Zampa | Champions (2006, 2009) |
| England | Jos Buttler | Joe Root, Jofra Archer | Runners-up (2004, 2013) |
| South Africa | Temba Bavuma | Kagiso Rabada, Heinrich Klaasen | Champions (1998) |
| Afghanistan | Hashmatullah Shahidi | Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Debutants (2025) |
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Match Schedule
Dates: February 19 – March 9, 2025, | Start Time: 3:00 PM Bangladesh Time.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb | Pakistan vs New Zealand | National Stadium, Karachi |
| 20 Feb | Bangladesh vs India | Dubai International Stadium, UAE |
| 21 Feb | Afghanistan vs South Africa | National Stadium, Karachi |
| 22 Feb | Australia vs England | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| 23 Feb | India vs Pakistan | Dubai International Stadium, UAE |
| 24 Feb | Bangladesh vs New Zealand | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| 25 Feb | Australia vs South Africa | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| 26 Feb | Afghanistan vs England | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| 27 Feb | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| 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 Stadium, UAE |
| 4 Mar | Semi-Final 1 (Dubai) | Dubai International Stadium |
| 5 Mar | Semi-Final 2 (Lahore) | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| 9 Mar | Final (Lahore/Dubai) | TBD |
Note:Â The final will be held in Dubai if India qualifies.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Squad Details
Group A Squads
Pakistan
- Captain:Â Mohammad Rizwan
- Squad:Â Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
- Missing:Â Saim Ayub (injury).
India
- Captain:Â Rohit Sharma
- Squad:Â Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
- Missing:Â Jasprit Bumrah (back injury).
New Zealand
- Captain:Â Mitchell Santner
- Squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
Bangladesh
- Captain:Â Najmul Hossain Shanto
- Squad:Â Nazmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
Group B Squads
Australia
- Captain:Â Steve Smith
- Squad:Â Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
- Missing:Â Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc (injuries).
England
- Captain:Â Jos Buttler
- Squad:Â Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.
South Africa
- Captain:Â Temba Bavuma
- Squad:Â Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch.
Afghanistan
- Captain:Â Hashmatullah Shahidi
- Squad:Â Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.
Key Players to Watch
Batting Stars
- Shubman Gill (India):Â Second-highest ODI run-scorer since 2023 (1,728 runs).
- Travis Head (Australia):Â Scored 137 in the 2023 World Cup final; strike rate of 115 in powerplays.
- Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa):Â Strike rate of 136.42 in ODIs since 2023.
Bowling Stars
- Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan):Â 57 ODI wickets since 2023; economy of 5.23 in powerplays.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan):Â Third-best ODI bowling average (19.87).
- Adam Zampa (Australia):Â Key spinner with 48 wickets in 2023.
Historical Context and Records
Past Winners
| Year | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| 1998 | South Africa |
| 2000 | New Zealand |
| 2002 | India & Sri Lanka (shared) |
| 2006 | Australia |
| 2017 | Pakistan |
Iconic Records
- Most Runs:Â Chris Gayle (791).
- Most Wickets:Â Kyle Mills (28).
- Highest Team Total:Â New Zealand (347/4 vs USA, 2004).
How to Watch? Tickets and Broadcaster
- Tickets: Available via ICC’s official portal; Dubai matches start at AED 125.
- Broadcast:
- India:Â Star Sports, Disney+ Hotstar.
- UK:Â Sky Sports.
- Global:Â ICC.tv (excluding select Asian nations).
TV & Live Streaming
| Licensee | Territories |
| Amazon | Australia |
| Disney Star | India+(linear feed goes into Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives) |
| E& | MENA |
| ESPN | Caribbean Islands, LATAM & Brazil |
| ICC | ROW |
| Maharaja TV | Sri Lanka |
| PNG Digicel | Papua New Guinea |
| PTV, Ten Sports | Pakistan |
| Sky Sports | UK & Northern Ireland |
| Sky TV NZ | New Zealand |
| SuperSport | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| TSM | Bangladesh |
| Willow | USA & Canada |
| Ariana TV | Afghanistan |
Source: ICC
Travel and Hospitality
- Pakistan’s renovated stadiums (Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi) offer modern facilities.
- Dubai’s International Stadium hosts high-voltage India-Pakistan clashes.
Conclusion
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is not just a tournament—it’s a celebration of cricket’s resilience, diplomacy, and passion. From Pakistan’s historic hosting comeback to India’s high-stakes matches in Dubai, every game promises drama. Whether you’re rooting for Australia’s redemption, Afghanistan’s debut, or another India-Pakistan thriller, this event is set to redefine ODI cricket’s legacy.
