Lahore is set to host the final of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Ramadan on Sunday 9th March. This is a good omen for Pakistan because it was Ramadan when Pakistan won the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup and the last ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the only two global events Pakistan have won in the fifty over format at the men’s senior level.
Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are all set to host five games each in the fifteen match tournament.
Champions Trophy winners
1998 – South Africa in Bangladesh.
2000 – New Zealand in Kenya.
2002 – India and Sri Lanka joint winners in Sri Lanka
2004 – West Indies in England.
2006 – Australia in India.
2009 – Australia in South Africa.
2013 – India in England.
2017 – Pakistan in England.
2025 – ???? in Pakistan.
It will be the longest gap since the Champions Trophy has last been played after the first tournament in the late 90s.
Lahore previously hosted the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup final between Australia and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won the match to lift the Cup for the first and only time in their history. However, they have not qualified for the 2025 Champions Trophy as they failed to finish in the top eight at the recently concluded 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup across the border from Pakistan in India.
The upcoming 2024 PSL play offs and final will also be played in Ramadan which will be a useful exercise for the PCB in what to expect and how to manage events held in the holy month, although the ICC as the governing body will be responsible for delivering the tournament, but they will work in conjunction with the PCB to try and deliver a successful and memorable event.
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