Pakistan to hold ICC mega event after nearly 3 decades

Country to play hosts for 2025 Champions Trophy; will defend title won in 2017

KARACHI:

Pakistani fans were ecstatic after the country won the hosting rights to the 2025 Champions Trophy, a title that the Men in Green won in 2017 and will defend on their homeland.

Pakistan won the 50-over tournament under the leadership of wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed after they beat India in the final. They went into the tournament as the eighth-ranked team in ODIs and lost the opener to India, but they then surprised everyone by going on a winning streak.

The last time Pakistan hosted an ICC mega event was back in 1996, where they were joined as co-hosts by India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won that 50-over World Cup against Australia at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ramiz Raja was happy that the ICC showed “faith” in the country.

"By allocating a major global event to Pakistan, the ICC has expressed complete confidence and faith in our management, and operational capabilities and skills," Ramiz said soon after the announcement. He added that the 2025 event will be a "boon for millions of home fans" who will watch their “favourite international players from close quarters”.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay was happy that the new method of “competitive bidding” was concluded successfully for the very first time by the game’s governing body.

The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt. The ICC Board accepted the recommendations of the committee who conducted a thorough review of each bid along with the ICC management.

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A similar process to identify the hosts for ICC Women’s and U19s events for the next cycle will be undertaken early next year.

“We are delighted to have concluded this competitive bidding process for the first time for ICC events. To have 14 members hosting eight events is a reflection of the truly global nature of our sport and I’d like to thank every member that submitted a bid and offer our congratulations to the successful bidders,” said Barclay.

Meanwhile, for the first time ever, the US will host an ICC mega event when they welcome fans for the 2024 T20 World Cup. West Indies will co-host the event with the US.

“It is fantastic to be returning to so many previous hosts, but what is really exciting about this process is the countries who will stage ICC events for the first time including the USA which is a strategic growth market for us.

This gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with fans in traditional cricket nations and also reach new fans around the world,” Barclay added.

Moreover, the rights to host the 2026 T20 World Cup were won by India and Sri Lanka.

The 2027 ODI World Cup will be played in Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Australia and New Zealand will play co-hosts to the 2028 T20 World Cup.

India will host the 2029 Champions Trophy. England, Ireland and Scotland will host the 2030 T20 World Cup and the 2031 ODI World Cup will be played in India and Bangladesh.