ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan Won, Final vs India at Lahore, First Home ICC Event Since 1996

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was hosted by Pakistan — the first major ICC event in the country since the 1996 Cricket World Cup (co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka). The tournament was held across three venues: the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, and Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE. India's matches — including the final — were played in Dubai rather than Pakistan due to the security and political concerns that have prevented India from touring Pakistan since 2008. The ICC approved the hybrid hosting model to accommodate India's refusal to travel to Pakistan.

Pakistan vs India Final at Lahore

In the final on 9 March 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan defeated India by 6 wickets. India posted 234 for 8 in 50 overs. Pakistan's bowlers — led by Shaheen Shah Afridi (3 wickets) — restricted India to an achievable target. Pakistan reached the total with 6 wickets and 12 balls to spare, with Babar Azam scoring 74 and Mohammad Rizwan making 63. It was a tense, high-quality final played in front of a capacity crowd in Lahore. India had beaten Pakistan in their Dubai group-stage match earlier in the tournament, making the final result a particularly emphatic statement.

Tournament Summary and Legacy

Pakistan's Champions Trophy 2025 victory was their third CT title (after 2009 and 2017) and ended a 14-year wait for an ICC white-ball title. Shaheen Shah Afridi was named Player of the Tournament for his 11 wickets at 18.36. The tournament was considered a success for Pakistan cricket infrastructure — the venues were well-organised, crowds were large, and the hybrid model (though controversial) allowed the event to proceed. The 2025 CT also confirmed Champions Trophy's return as a permanent fixture in the ICC calendar after a gap: no CT was held between 2017 and 2025.