As the long-awaited ICC Champions Trophy is all set to roll, Team India will play its warm-up matches in Dubai before it starts. This multi-nation tournament is slated to start on February 19, 2025. In the wake of the Indian cricket team’s announcement that it did not want to travel to Pakistan, the hybrid model was adopted to conduct the event.
Hybrid Model: Matches of India at Dubai
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The Indian team, being one of the favorites, cannot travel to Pakistan as the match has been under some political pressure due to heated tension between the two nations. So the ICC came up with the schedule under the hybrid model of the Champions Trophy. All group-stage matches played by India will be hosted at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium while the other teams will have the opportunity of hosting matches across venues in Pakistan at Lahore, Karachi, and Multan.
This model ensures that the Indian team can participate in the tournament while avoiding the logistical challenges of traveling to Pakistan. Dubai has become the preferred location for India’s matches, ensuring that the team can prepare and compete in a neutral setting.
Availability of Practice Venues
Initially, there were issues regarding the availability of stadiums for practice sessions, considering that renovation work was being done at three proposed stadiums in Pakistan. These were National Stadium Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and Multan Cricket Stadium. These stadiums were in severe renovation stages intended for the Champions Trophy.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had given a deadline of December 31, 2024, for the completion of renovation work at these venues. However, the deadline has been extended to January 25, 2025. By this new deadline, the PCB is expected to hand over the three venues to the ICC, and thus they will be ready for the tournament.
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According to reports from *Hindustan Times, an ICC delegation is visiting Pakistan these days to evaluate the progress of renovation work. PCB officials are optimistic that the stadiums will be completed in time and will be ready for practice sessions for teams.
Practice Matches and Tri-Series Changes
All the teams that would participate in the Champions Trophy were going to play practice matches. The Indian team will play their practice matches in Dubai while the other three teams will make use of the renovated venues in Pakistan for their training.
As related to development, PCB has also confirmed that before the Champions Trophy, there would be a tri-series that involves Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand. This tri-series was earlier planned to take place at Multan Cricket Stadium; however, PCB has shifted the venue of the tri-series to Rawalpindi and Karachi.
The PCB has ensured that Rawalpindi and Karachi stadiums are prepared for the series, as renovation work at the said locations is already complete. In an official statement, the PCB stated that all stadiums will be ready before the January 25 deadline so that they are fit to be fully operational in time for the Champions Trophy.
As the count to the ICC Champions Trophy commences, Team India will train in Dubai and the other teams will use the newly renovated venues in Pakistan for their practice matches. The hybrid model ensures that the tournament can be held without interruption due to political tensions.
With the renovation work on track, the Pakistan Cricket Board is confident that all venues will be ready on time, ensuring a smooth lead-up to the tournament starting on February 19, 2025. The changes to the venue of the tri-series and the extensions to the renovation deadlines reflect the PCB’s commitment to hosting a successful tournament.
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