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,

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.

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.

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.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shifted their upcoming tri-nation ODI series involving South Africa and New Zealand from Multan to Karachi and Lahore - venues of the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy.

Earlier, reports claimed that the renovation works at the stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi still have a long way to go, with fencing work, floodlight placement, and finishing new multi-story enclosures being incomplete.