Cricketers congratulate Pakistan for securing hosting rights of Champions Trophy 2025

Former fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar said he's "super excited" to hear about the news

Faizan Lakhani

Web Desk

November 16, 2021

As the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that Pakistan will hold the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, congratulations started pouring in from both domestic and foreign cricketers.

Taking to Twitter, former fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar said that he's "super excited" to hear about the news.

"Super excited to hear about Pakistan getting the hosting rights for 2025 ICC Champions Trophy," the Rawalpindi Express wrote.

Former cricketer Waqar Younus lauded Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ramiz Raja for his efforts, adding that Pakistan got its "reward for playing the T20 World Cup like champions."

"Cricket is back on track [in Pakistan," he wrote.

For former Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali, it was "wonderful news."

Quetta Gladiators cricketer Mohammad Hasnain expressed his joy at the development by saying "wow".

Former New Zealand cricketer, Danny Morrison, also congratulated Pakistan and called the news "very exciting."

Akin to Morrison, Sri Lankan player Dimuth Karunarathna also felicitated Pakistan.

South African cricketer, Vernon Philander, also congratulated the country.

Pakistan last staged an ICC event in 1996 when they co-hosted the 50-over World Cup with India and Sri Lanka, but the country has been largely starved of international cricket since the 2009 attack on the touring Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.

Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy in 2025, the ICC said in a statement.

The development came as the ICC confirmed the 14 host countries of ICC men’s white-ball events from 2024-2031.

Eleven full members and three associate members have been selected to host two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, and two ICC Men’s Champions Trophy events.

The USA and Namibia will host an ICC World Cup event for the first time. Meanwhile, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe have previously staged major events and will do so again over the next decade.

The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a Board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt.

The ICC board accepted the recommendations of the committee who conducted a thorough review of each bid along with ICC management.

A similar process to identify the hosts for ICC Women’s and U19s events for the next cycle will be undertaken early next year.