As India and Pakistan concluded a highly charged and intensely fought match in New York on Sunday, their next big clash is not far away.
The arch-rivals are slated to meet again in eight months at the Champions Trophy in March 2025, unless the two teams face off in the knockouts of the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean later this month.
Cricpulse can reveal that the draft schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy has been submitted to the International Cricket Council (ICC), with the India-Pakistan game set to be the last of the league matches in the eight-team, 15-match competition.
As reported by Cricpulse earlier on Sunday, the tournament will be played between February 19 and March 9, with exact match dates being finalized.
According to the proposed schedule, Lahore is the venue for the highly anticipated match.
This is subject to approval from the Government of India to play in Pakistan; otherwise, the tournament might adopt a hybrid model similar to last year’s Asia Cup, with the UAE hosting India’s matches.
However, the PCB has been advised to proceed with its preparations.
The PCB has identified Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi as venues for the 20-day competition, designating Lahore as the centre for India’s matches.
The schedule includes seven matches in Lahore, five in Rawalpindi, and three in Karachi.
Karachi is set to host the opening match on February 19, a Wednesday, with the two semifinals scheduled for Karachi and Rawalpindi.
The final, slated for March 9, a Sunday, will be in Lahore, which will also host all India games and their semifinal, should they qualify.
Currently, neither the PCB nor the ICC is discussing a hybrid model, though last-minute changes are not unprecedented.
All eyes will now be on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Government of India.
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