Spectacular opening ceremony of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 held at Lahore Fort

Global cricket community closely watching Pakistan’s readiness for Champions Trophy, says Mohsin Naqvi

Web Desk

February 16, 2025

Naqvi describes hosting tournament as “great honor” for country.
Says stadiums revamped in record time to ensure successful event.
Tournament to reflect warmth and love of Pakistani people, he says.

LAHORE: A grand opening ceremony for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was held at the historic Diwan-e-Aam of the Lahore Fort on Sunday night.

Addressing the event, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the global cricket community was closely watching Pakistan’s readiness for the cricket tournament.

He described hosting the tournament as a “great honor” for the country. Naqvi further emphasised that Gaddafi and National stadiums were revamped in record time to ensure a successful event.

The chairman reiterated PCB’s commitment to showcasing Pakistan’s rich culture and hospitality to the world, adding that the tournament will reflect the warmth and love of the Pakistani people.

(From left to right): Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and a guest during the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy 2025 in Lahore on February 16, 2025. — @TheRealPCB

Set against the majestic backdrop of Pakistan’s rich heritage, the event promised a dazzling mix of cricketing glory and cultural splendor. With esteemed cricket personalities, top officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and die-hard fans in attendance, the night promises to be a memorable one.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Champions Trophy 2017 winner team, brand ambassador for the tournament Tim Southee, former South African batsman JP Duminy and others were among the attendees of the event.

Besides Lahore, the cricket festival is ready to light up the stadiums of Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Dubai.

The tournament will kick off on February 19 (Wednesday) with the opening match in the port city between Pakistan and New Zealand, which will be played after a small ceremony at the National Bank Cricket Stadium.

Meanwhile, Indian team has arrived in Dubai, where Bangladesh are already practicing for the mega event. The two sides will face each other in the tournament on February 20.

Before that, the Tigers will compete against Pakistan’s Shaheens in a practice match on February 17. Meanwhile, the Afghanistan team will play their second practice match against New Zealand in Karachi today.

However, the most anticipated clash, as always, will be the high-stakes showdown between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, set to take place on February 23 in Dubai.

All the Champions Trophy matches will be telecast live on Geo Super. Here is the complete schedule of the tournament.