ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Pakistan in the Final — The Hybrid Model Tournament
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was held in Pakistan (and Dubai for India's matches) from 19 February to 9 March 2025. India, captained by Rohit Sharma, won their third Champions Trophy title by defeating New Zealand by 4 wickets in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 9 March 2025. New Zealand scored 251/7; India chased 252 in 48.3 overs. Shubman Gill scored 72. The hybrid model — India playing in Dubai due to security concerns — was a first for an ICC event.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was held in Pakistan (Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi) and Dubai from 19 February to 9 March 2025. The tournament used a 'hybrid model' for the first time in ICC history — India played all their matches (group stage, semi-final, and final) in Dubai due to the Board of Control for Cricket in India declining to send the team to Pakistan for security reasons. Eight teams competed in a round-robin group stage.
The Final: India Chase 252
The final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 9 March 2025 saw New Zealand bat first, scoring 251/7 — Rachin Ravindra scored 68 and Daryl Mitchell 55. India chased 252 in 48.3 overs; Shubman Gill scored 72 from 91 balls, Virat Kohli 42, and KL Rahul 41*. India won by 4 wickets. It was India's third Champions Trophy title (after 2002 and 2013). Rohit Sharma was named Player of the Series.
The Hybrid Model and Pakistan Hosting
Pakistan hosted its first ICC event since the 2009 T20 WC, with matches played at Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore), National Stadium (Karachi), and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The India-Pakistan group stage match was held in Dubai; the India semi-final was in Dubai; and the final (involving India) was held in Dubai. Pakistan's matches — including their quarter-final exit — were played in Pakistan. The hybrid model was a political compromise that allowed Pakistan to host while accommodating India's non-participation in Pakistan-located fixtures.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ICC Champions Trophy format, and how does it differ from the Cricket World Cup in terms of team qualification, match structure, and commercial importance?
ICC Champions Trophy format: the CT is the second-largest ODI tournament in the ICC calendar (after the WC) and has historically featured 8 teams in two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to semi-finals and then a final. Qualification: unlike the WC (which since 2019 has involved qualification rounds for lower-ranked teams), the CT is restricted to the top 8 ODI teams in the ICC rankings at a qualification cutoff date. This makes it an elite-only event — no Associate teams participate. Comparison to WC: the WC (14–16 teams, 45–48 matches) is significantly larger in scope and commercial scale. The CT (8 teams, 15 matches) is a shorter, more concentrated tournament. The CT has historically produced closer finals and fewer mismatches (no 300-run wins). Commercial importance: the CT generates approximately 30–35% of the revenue of a full WC — approximately $150–200M in broadcast and sponsorship rights vs the WC's $500–600M. Its commercial relevance is highest in the India-Pakistan match, which generates the single highest-value broadcast slot in cricket history (estimated $50M+ in broadcast revenue per match). The 2025 hybrid model impact: the hybrid model created a governance precedent — ICC explicitly accommodating a member board's security concerns by allowing matches to be moved to a third country. Pakistan cricket officials accepted this as a condition of hosting; the alternative was losing the event entirely.