PAK Hosts Champions Trophy Amid Challenges & Security Concerns | Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan Hosts Champions Trophy 2025 Amid Security Challenges and Financial Risks

Pakistan (PAK) successfully hosted the Champions Trophy 2025, but the journey was not without hurdles. With a hybrid model in place, India (IND) played all their matches in Dubai due to security concerns, while PAK hosted the remaining games in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi under strict security measures.

Despite the national team's early exit after defeats against New Zealand (NZ) and IND, PAK officials consider the event a success, believing it could pave the way for more international tournaments. Security was a primary concern, especially after a terror incident in Bannu occurred a day before the semifinal between South Africa (SA) and NZ in Lahore. However, with 16,000 police and paramilitary rangers deployed, the event concluded without a single mishap. ICC security manager Dave Musker praised PAK’s arrangements, calling the coordination and professionalism of the security personnel “very good.”

Several international captains, including Australia’s (AUS) Steve Smith, SA’s Temba Bavuma, and NZ’s Mitchell Santner, acknowledged feeling more at ease in Dubai than under PAK’s intense security. However, security expert Sohail Khan, who previously cleared PAK’s 2005 tour of IND, emphasized that the success of this event proves PAK can host future tournaments. The PAK Cricket Board (PCB) also sees positives despite its team's poor performance. A PCB official stated that the primary goal was to deliver a world-class event rather than focus on financial gains. However, the board suffered losses due to abandoned matches, particularly in Rawalpindi, where two games were washed out without a ball bowled.

Financially, PCB faces a tough road ahead. While PAK was guaranteed a hosting fee of USD 600,000 alongside ticket revenue, sponsorship deals, and hospitality box sales, match washouts resulted in ticket refunds, impacting revenue. Cricket analyst Omair Alavi expressed doubts over PCB recovering the billions spent on stadium renovations. He noted that PAK’s USD 32 million annual share from ICC revenues remains secure regardless of hosting rights.

The heavy expenditure on stadium upgrades has sparked criticism. Former pacer Sikander Bakht questioned the necessity of spending 1.8 billion PKR on refurbishments when the money could have been used for new stadiums in Islamabad or improvements in Faisalabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Sialkot. Former player Iqbal Qasim supported the upgrades, suggesting that PAK wanted to showcase its ability to host global events, but the rain-affected AUS vs. Afghanistan (AFG) match at Gaddafi Stadium raised concerns over weather preparedness.

Arif Ali Khan Abbasi, a former PCB executive, believes the Champions Trophy will help PAK secure more international events. However, he stressed that until IND agrees to play in PAK for ICC or Asian tournaments, financial benefits will remain limited. Hybrid scheduling, he argued, hampers PAK’s ability to boost domestic cricket infrastructure.

While the Champions Trophy saw security success, its long-term impact on PAK cricket remains uncertain. The inability to host IND and financial strains could affect future tournament bids, but for now, PAK can take pride in having executed a global event despite the odds.