After much discussions the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 schedule was finalised late in December 2024. Pakistan held on to the hosting rights while Dubai was selected as the venue for the India national cricket team’s matches. If India reaches semifinal and advances further in the tournament, the matches will be played in Dubai as per the arrangement, allowing Pakistan to host the rest of the tournament. But as per the recent update, the construction works in Pakistan are behind schedule with the authorities planning a visit to inspect the possibility of completion. England to Boycott ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Match? ECB Provides Update After Country's Politicians Ask to Snub Game Against Afghanistan.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament will start on February 19 with three stadiums in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi hosting the matches. As per the report from Times of India, The construction and upgradation work is still underway at the National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The scheduled completion date has already passed and the scenes at the site works are not encouraging either as per the TOI sources. PCB is expected to hand over the stadiums to ICC on February 12 for the competition.

The source tracking development informed concerns over the completion. He said, "It is a very disappointing picture. All three stadiums are far from ready and it's not renovation or refurbishment, but proper construction which is underway. There is so much work left with seats, floodlights, facilities, and even the outfield and the playing surfaces” Australia, England, India in Talks With ICC for Two-Tier Test Cricket System: Report.

It is also understood that a team of the global cricket body will visit Pakistan to track the progress in the coming days. The steps are considered to be taken after ICC faced a lot backlash after a poor infrastructural mess in the USA during the ICC T20 World Cup. The opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy is between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand at Karachi Stadium and is scheduled on February 19.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 08, 2025 02:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).