Dubai, Nov 16: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy tour will start in Islamabad on Saturday. The trophy will also be displayed in the city’s famous landmarks like Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque, and the Pakistan Monument, with legendary speedster Shoaib Akhtar marking his presence. 

The trophy tour is a promotional event before every major ICC event, but it ran into a huge controversy after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that places like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad – three of which come under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) – would be on the trophy tour list.

Following strong objection by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, only Murree has been retained in the trophy tour itinerary announced by the ICC, with places like Taxila, Khanpur, Abbottabad, Nathia Gali and Karachi on the list for the Pakistan edition of the trip till November 25.

“The silverware, which will be showcased across all participating nations, will allow the sport’s passionate fanbase to enjoy the unforgettable experience of being up close with the iconic trophy,” said Anurag Dahiya, ICC Chief Commercial Officer.

The trophy will tour Afghanistan from November 26-28, then travel to Bangladesh from December 10-13, and be in South Africa from December 15-22. It will then be present in Australia from December 25-January 5, before going to New Zealand from January 6-11. After touring England from January 12-14, the trophy will mark its presence in India from January 15-26, before being back in Pakistan on January 27.

The Men’s Champions Trophy was last held in 2017 in England and was won by Pakistan. But the formal schedule of the eight-team tournament is in limbo after the BCCI denied travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, but the PCB has so far not agreed to host it under a hybrid model.

--IANS