Updated 15:20 IST, January 30th 2025

Rohit Sharma Unlikely To Attend Champions Trophy 2025 Opening Ceremony After ICC's Big Decision For Marquee Event

India last won the Champions Trophy in 2013. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian Team open their Champions Trophy campaign on February 19, 2025

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Rohit Sharma and Agha Salman
Rohit Sharma and Agha Salman | Image: AP

The Champions Trophy is all set to start on February 19, 2025. The marquee ICC event is returning after a gap of over seven years. The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will be played in the 'Hybrid Model' and India will play all their matches in Dubai. The first semi-final of the Champions Trophy will also be played in the UAE. If India qualify for the finals, then then it will also be played in the UAE. With just over two weeks to go for the start of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan look far from ready to host the marquee event.

The ICC was reportedly left unimpressed with PCB's impractical demand of hosting all the matches of Champions Trophy in Pakistan. This delayed the schedule announcement and caused the ICC a major embarrassment as its stakeholders could not tap into the financial potential of a tournament which has a lot of hype around it.

ICC Champions Trophy Opening Ceremony To be Held In Lahore: REPORTS

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in conjunction with the ICC will hold the opening ceremony of the upcoming Champions Trophy on February 16 in Lahore. A source in the PCB told PTI that chairman Mohsin Naqvi had approved a scheduled list of events prior to the first match of the tournament on February 19 at the National Stadium in Karachi between Pakistan and New Zealand. The PCB will officially open the renovated Gaddafi stadium on February 7 for which Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has been invited as the chief guest.

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The Board of Control for India (BCCI) has been against sending Indian players to Pakistan and hence they demanded for a 'Hybrid  Model' which the ICC acknowledged. Complying with the rules put in place by the BCCI, Team India skipper Rohit Sharma might now be present for the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy.

Champions Trophy Starts on February 19

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The much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy will kickstart on February 19, 2025. The first match of the mega ICC event will be played between defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand. The Kiwis will be led by Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Michell Santner.

 

Published 15:20 IST, January 30th 2025