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The Pakistan Cricket Board has rubbished speculations that the ICC Champions Trophy will be moved out of the country due to delayed construction work at three stadiums that will host the event, starting February 19. The venues in Pakistan organising the tournament are Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi's National Bank Stadium, while India will play all its matches in Dubai.
Pakistan has started its preparations for next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka by launching a player's improvement, scouting and grooming programme called 'strike force', which will begin in Lahore from January 13. Initially the programme, headed by former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, was to focus on scouting for young talent with the potential to develop into power-hitters to suit the demands of the shortest format of the game. "Initially that was the idea, but, due to logistical challenges we decided to launch the strike force programme by holding a 90-day specialised camp for 25 players who have either already played for Pakistan, done well in domestic or under-19 level or in T20 leagues in the country," Abdullah Khurrum, who heads the PCB's domestic cricket department, said.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Mohammad and Saeed Anwar have been named as new inductees into the Hall of Fame constituted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The PCB said in a statement that the legendary quartet was voted into the select club by an 11-member independent panel that included fellow Hall of Famers, women international cricketers and journalists, adding that four inductions were made for 2024 after no one was included in for 2023. “The four stalwarts will be formally inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame during the course of the year when they will be presented with commemorative caps and specially designed plaques,” it further said.
India batter K L Rahul is likely to be rested for the white-ball series against England beginning in Kolkata on January 22. The home series comprises five T20s and three ODIs which will be more significant considering it precedes the Champions Trophy starting February 19. However, Rahul will be available for selection for the Champions Trophy. India will play all their games in Dubai while the rest of the matches will be held in host nation Pakistan.
South Africa's sports minister Gayton McKenzie has urged the Proteas to boycott their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan due to the Taliban government's ban on women's sports and disbanding the women's cricket team since it came back to power in 2021. Temba Bavuma-led South Africa will begin their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign through a Group B clash against Afghanistan at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan on February 21. The two teams are in Group B alongside England and Australia.
Jasprit Bumrah was India's best player in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 by some distance, meaning that his potential absence from the Champions Trophy squad in a month's time could spell disaster for the team. Bumrah picked up an injury on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney, one severe enough to not allow him to bowl in the series-deciding fourth innings of the match. With just a few days left till the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy must be announced, there is still no confirmation regarding Bumrah's fitness.
CAPE TOWN : South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he supported calls for a boycott of Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, adding his voice to those of British politicians who have called on England not to play them next month.
Amidst fears that the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 may not be properly hosted by host nation Pakistan due to the existing state of underdeveloped stadiums, Pakistan-based journalist Farid Khan has shared a video showing the work in progress at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Earlier, a report had emerged stating that stadiums in all three cities - Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi - are still under construction, with just over a month till the Champions Trophy gets underway. However, the visual shared by the journalist shows the extent in which work is being done at the Gaddafi Stadium.