Pakistan to host ICC Champions Trophy 2025, will defend title at home
- Country last staged an ICC event in 1996
Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, announced the country's cricket board on Tuesday, a development that comes as a major boost to the cricket-starved nation.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) also confirmed the development, providing a detailed schedule of its upcoming events as well.
Pakistan last staged an ICC event in 1996, co-hosting the ICC World Cup along with Sri Lanka and India.
Ramiz Raja, the current chairman of the PCB, expressed his delight at the development.
"It’s a matter of great pride and delight that Pakistan will be hosting ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This great news will surely excite millions of Pakistani fans, expats and world fans to see great teams and players in action and will allow the world to sample our hospitality," he tweeted.
In July, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had submitted an expression of interest to host six International Cricket Council (ICC) events in the 2024-31 cycle. Of these, the board was keen to host the three-venue ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and 2029 on its own.
Pakistan optimistic to host ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Besides, the cricket board also offered to host the remaining four events, two eight-venue ICC T20 World Cups, 2026 and 2028, as well as the two 10-venue ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups 2027 and 2031, in partnership with other Asian countries.
Meanwhile, the ICC provided a roadmap of its upcoming events, saying that the Champions Trophy "officially returns" amid reports that the tournament would not take place again after Pakistan won the edition in 2017.
Recently, the PCB also said that it would host the Asia Cup 2023 edition.
In an official statement, the cricket board chairman had said that the 2023 tournament will be a 50-over format and will be held in September.
Pakistan to host 50-over Asia Cup in 2023, confirms PCB chairman Ramiz Raja
US to host its first major cricket event in 2024
Meanwhile, the United States will co-host its first major cricket tournament in 2024 when it stages part of the men's T20 World Cup, the ICC announced.
The baseball-loving country, which has never appeared at either a T20 or a 50-over World Cup, will host the event along with the more established cricket nations.
Cricket in America was strong in the 19th century when teams from England would tour but was largely neglected following the rise of baseball, often described as the national game of the USA.
The West Indies, who have twice won the T20 World Cup, began playing international matches at Central Broward Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2012.
Namibia, who reached the Super 12 stage in their first ever T20 tournament at the most recent edition in UAE, will also be first-time hosts when they share the 2027 ODI World Cup with South Africa and Zimbabwe, who last co-hosted the event in 2003.
Ireland and Scotland were also named as co-hosts of the 2030 T20 World Cup alongside England.
Tournament schedule
T20 World Cups
2024: West Indies, USA
2026: India, Sri Lanka
2028: Australia, New Zealand
2030: England, Ireland, Scotland
ODI 50-over World Cups
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia
2031: India, Bangladesh
50-over Champions Trophy
2025: Pakistan
2029: India
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