The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the 2025 Champions Trophy tour will kick off in Islamabad this Saturday. The trophy will be showcased at iconic landmarks in the city, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque, and the Pakistan Monument, with legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar set to attend the event.
The trophy tour is a promotional event held before every major ICC tournament. However, it sparked significant controversy after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that locations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad—three of which are in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—would be included in the tour.
After strong objections from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, the ICC has revised the trophy tour itinerary for Pakistan. Only Murree has been retained, while locations like Taxila, Khanpur, Abbottabad, Nathia Gali, and Karachi have been added to the tour list. The Pakistan leg of the tour will continue until November 25.
“The silverware, which will be showcased across all participating nations, will allow the sport’s passionate fanbase to enjoy the unforgettable experience of being up close with the iconic trophy,” said Anurag Dahiya, ICC Chief Commercial Officer.
The trophy will visit Afghanistan from November 26 to 28, followed by Bangladesh from December 10 to 13, and South Africa from December 15 to 22. It will then head to Australia from December 25 to January 5, before moving to New Zealand from January 6 to 11. After touring England from January 12 to 14, the trophy will arrive in India from January 15 to 26, before returning to Pakistan on January 27.
The Men’s Champions Trophy was last held in 2017 in England, where Pakistan emerged as the winner. However, the formal schedule for the upcoming eight-team tournament remains uncertain. The BCCI has refused to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, while the PCB has yet to agree to hosting the event under a hybrid model.
Key dates of the Trophy Tour:
- 16 November – Islamabad, Pakistan
- 17 November – Taxila and Khanpur, Pakistan
- 18 November – Abbottabad, Pakistan
- 19 November – Murree, Pakistan
- 20 November – Nathia Gali, Pakistan
- 22 – 25 November – Karachi, Pakistan
- 26 – 28 November – Afghanistan
- 10 – 13 December – Bangladesh
- 15 – 22 December – South Africa
- 25 December – 5 January – Australia
- 6 – 11 January – New Zealand
- 12 – 14 January – England
- 15 – 26 January – India
- 27 January – event start – Pakistan