The window for next year's Champions Trophy has been identified, and Cricbuzz can reveal that it will take place between February 19 and March 9. Multiple sources from multiple boards and the International Cricket Council (ICC) connected to the 50-over championship have confirmed this 20-day period allocated for the eight-team tournament, which will be held for the first time since 2017. In the last edition, Pakistan won the trophy, beating India in the final at The Oval.
While the exact match days for the Champions Trophy 2025 have not yet been finalized, the schedule will be fitted within this 20-day period. Initially, it was thought that the tournament would start on a Friday and conclude on a Sunday. According to the disclosed window, however, February 19 is a Wednesday and March 9 is a Sunday. The 2017 edition had a 19-day window, with the tournament starting on a Thursday (June 1) and concluding on a Sunday (June 18).
The tentative dates of the Champions Trophy have apparently been shared with the member boards so that they can adjust their league schedules accordingly. The IL T20 had announced that its third edition will run from January 11 to February 9, almost the same window in which the SA20 will hold its third season. According to a recent SA20 release, the season will kick off on January 9 and will run till February 8.
It is still unclear whether all the Champions Trophy matches will be played in Pakistan. With the BJP government returning to power in India, the current policy towards Pakistan is expected to continue, although no official statement has been made yet. If the same policy continues, the hybrid model used for last year's Asia Cup could apply, meaning part of the competition could be held in the UAE.
However, sources say it is too early to determine whether or not the Indian team will visit Pakistan. "We will have some idea in the next two months," said an informed source. Clarity is expected by the ICC annual conference in Colombo in July. By then, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to have a better understanding of the government's policy towards the tournament.
Cricbuzz had earlier reported that the PCB earmarked Lahore as the sole venue for the India games so that the Indian team will not have to travel to many places and the fans can easily cross over to Lahore through the Wagah border.