India defeated Australia in the first semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 5 securing a spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 final. With India's victory, the venue for the final has been shifted from Lahore, Pakistan, to Dubai. The BCCI had already refused to send Team India to Pakistan due to security concerns, leading the ICC to implement a hybrid model for the tournament.
Had India not qualified for the final, the match would have been played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which is set to host the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand on Wednesday. However, it was predetermined that if India reached the final, the match would be relocated to a neutral venue—Dubai. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s team was eliminated from the tournament without winning a single match in the group stage.
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According to the news agency PTI, the ICC approved a budget of approximately Rs 586 crore for the Champions Trophy, covering 15 matches in total. Each match had an estimated budget of Rs 39 crore. Four matches that were supposed to be held in Pakistan were instead played in Dubai, resulting in a financial loss of Rs 156 crore for Pakistan. Now, with the final match also moving to Dubai, Pakistan is set to lose an additional Rs 39 crore, bringing its total financial loss to Rs 195 crore.
Pakistan had originally planned to spend around Rs 500 crore on renovating its three stadiums to host the tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had hoped for large crowds at these venues, but the turnout was disappointing. Pakistan’s early exit from the competition and two rain-affected matches further worsened the situation, forcing PCB to refund ticket money for those games.
With the tournament nearing its end, Pakistan is expected to seek financial assistance from the ICC to recover its losses.
