The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, meaning there are just 94 days left until the tournament starts.
However, the official schedule hasn`t been released yet, and it`s still unclear whether the event will take place in Pakistan.
The main reason for this uncertainty is that the Indian government has made it clear that it won’t allow its team to travel to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is determined to host the Champions Trophy on home soil and is unwilling to back down.
To build excitement for the tournament, the ICC has launched a trophy tour, which kicked off yesterday with the help of DP World, a Dubai-based multinational logistics company.
This tour is aimed at getting cricket fans more engaged with the upcoming event.
Here’s the schedule for the Champions Trophy Trophy Tour:
1. November 16-25 - Pakistan
2. November 26-28 - Afghanistan
3. December 10-13 - Bangladesh
4. December 15-22 - South Africa
5. December 22-January 5 - Australia
6. January 6-11 - New Zealand
7. January 12-14 - England
8. January 15-26 - India
9. January 27 onwards - Pakistan
The trophy tour began in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, yesterday. It will also visit famous sites like Taxila and Khanpur.
Pakistani cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar will be part of the early stage of the tour.
After Pakistan, the trophy will travel to other participating countries and will return to Pakistan on January 27, 2025.
As Bangladesh is one of the teams in the Champions Trophy, the trophy will also be brought here.
According to the tour schedule, the trophy will be displayed in Bangladesh from December 10 to 13. However, it’s not clear yet whether it will be shown only in Dhaka or in other parts of the country too.
The last time an ICC trophy came to Bangladesh was in August 2023 when the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy was brought to the Padma Bridge for a photo session.
Now, many people are asking whether the Champions Trophy will be displayed in India, especially since the Indian government has said it won’t send its players to Pakistan.
Additionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raised concerns with the ICC about holding the trophy exhibition in Muzaffarabad, a region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The answer is yes, the trophy will be displayed in India. In fact, India will host the longest exhibition period, with the Champions Trophy being shown there from January 15 to 26, 2025.
The trophy will then return to Pakistan on January 27.
After India raised objections about the exhibition in Muzaffarabad, the schedule was changed.
The new schedule removes Muzaffarabad from the list of locations, and the PCB has confirmed that the trophy will be displayed in other venues instead.
