Pakistan will host first ICC tournament since 1996 World Cup.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Rameez Raja thanked International Cricket Council (ICC) for awarding Pakistan the hosting rights of Champions Trophy 2025.
The ICC, on Tuesday (16th November), announced hosts for the ICC events that will take place in the cycle 2024-2031.
While the associate nations like the USA, Scotland, and Namibia will host ICC events for the first time, Pakistan will organize an ICC event for the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
The Asian nation will defend their Champions Trophy title, which they won in 2017, in their own backyard in February 2025.
PCB chairman Rameez Raja was delighted with ICC’s decision to select Pakistan as a host nation for ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He said that by allowing them to host the elite event, ICC has expressed faith and confidence in their management, operation capabilities, and skills.
"I am pleased no-end with the ICC's decision to select Pakistan as a host nation for one of their elite tournaments. By allocating a major global event to Pakistan, the ICC has expressed complete confidence and faith in our management and operational capabilities and skills,” Rameez Raja said in a statement.
Raja said that by hosting the Champions Trophy they will showcase their passion and love for the sport as the event will be a boon to millions of home fans.
"We have continued to demonstrate how a great host we are and through the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, we will again showcase our passion and love for the sport as this event will be a boon to the millions of home fans, who will see world-class teams and their favorite international players from close quarters," he said.
Rameez Raja further said that they will not only deliver a ‘world-class’ event but will also prepare a strong team that will entertain fans.
He cited the example of the T20 World Cup 2021, saying that Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC event united the nation. He added that by hosting the Champions Trophy that bond will only strengthen more.
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“We not only endeavor to plan and deliver a world-class event, we will also prepare and field a strong and formidable side that can perform and entertain our home fans.
“We saw during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign how the nation got united and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home will be another opportunity to further strengthen that bond as we defend the title," he said.
Other nations to be granted ICC events are Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe in the next ICC event cycle.
(ANI inputs)