PAKISTAN CRICKETERS TO FACE ARCH-RIVAL INDIA IN DUBAI

The tournament begins in Karachi on Feb. 19 when Pakistan takes on New Zealand. Political tensions between Pakistan and India have prevented their teams from touring each other's country since 2012, when Pakistan went to India for a bilateral one-day international series...

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Pakistan will take on arch-rival India in the marquee group game of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Feb. 23 after the ICC finally announced the schedule for the cricket showpiece event. India has refused to travel to Pakistan over security concerns and that forced the ICC to delay its announcement for more than a month. Pakistan is to host a minimum of 10 games in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore. India is to play its three Group A matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in Dubai. If India qualifies for the semifinals and the final, those games will also be staged in Dubai.

“The ICC is delighted to release the schedule … marking the tournament’s much-anticipated first return since 2017,” ICC chair Jay Shah said in a statement. “The thrilling competition, in which eight teams battle it out to claim the iconic white jackets, will provide fans with 15 matches of unmissable entertainment.

“This edition will take place in Pakistan and the UAE, and with Dubai also serving as the home of the ICC headquarters, it represents an opportunity to showcase the best of cricket with heritage and modernity.”