LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed speculation that the ICC Champions Trophy will be moved out of the country due to delays in construction work at three stadiums set to host the event,

ICC is keeping a close eye on the construction of all three venues. Teams are expected to start arriving in Pakistan for the mega tournament from February 12.

Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with foreign teams arriving as early as the first week of February, according to media reports. New Zealand and South Africa are set to land in Pakistan in early February for both the tournament and a tri-series, Express News reported.

The tri-series, which will serve as a precursor to the ICC Champions Trophy, is scheduled to begin on February 19 in Karachi.

Fakhar Zaman is confident of returning to international cricket after eight months when Pakistan hosts the Champions Trophy next month.

India are expected to play a practice match in Dubai ahead of their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, which will take place at the same venue, according to a report from India Today. The ICC is currently working on finalizing practice facilities across the four venues in Pakistan and organizing the warm-up schedule for the eight teams participating in the prestigious tournament.

Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are the three venues that have been chosen to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February 19. January 25, 2025 is the deadline for the completion of works.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is 40 days away, but stadiums in Pakistan are far from ready. Construction is still ongoing at venues in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. The ICC is concerned about the venues meeting requirements on time.