Taking note of the BCCI’s objections against the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) original plan of parading the 2025 Champions Trophy through the ‘Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’ (POK) region, the International Cricket Council (ICC) promptly revised the route, and excluded the disputed region in a fresh itinerary released on Saturday.

Under the revised schedule, the trophy tour will kick off in Islamabad on Saturday before making stopovers in Taxila and Khanpur (November 17), Abbottabad (November 18), Murree (November 19) and Nathia Gali (November 20) before concluding the Pakistan leg in Karachi (November 22-25).

“After Islamabad, the tour will head to iconic cities and venues in Pakistan such as Karachi, Abbottabad, and Taxila before leaving the land of defending champions to embark on an extensive international tour, where it will continue to showcase the vibrant cultures evident across competing nations,” the ICC said.

The original tour schedule included cities like Skardu, Hunza and Muzaffarabad, which fall in the PoK region, a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

The landmarks where the trophy will be displayed on the opening day of its tour in Islamabad are Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque, and the Pakistan Monument where it will be accompanied by Shoaib Akhtar.

According to the itinerary shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the prestigious silverware will head to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, England before making the final stop in India, during its 70-day global tour, providing unique experiences for fans.

The trophy will reach India on January 15 and will tour different cities of the country till January 26 before returning to Pakistan for the start of the competition, as per the broad itinerary of the tour released by the ICC.

“We are delighted to launch the Trophy Tour ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, where another action-packed programme of activity is available to fans across the world. The silverware, which will be showcased across all participating nations, will allow the sport’s passionate fanbase to enjoy the unforgettable experience of being up close with the iconic trophy,” Anurag Dahiya, ICC’s chief commercial officer, said.

Pakistan were the winners of the last edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, having won the title at The Oval in London in 2017, defeating India in the final. The tournament returns after an eight-year halt.

Meanwhile, amid all the prevailing confusion regarding the conduct of the tournament after the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team, citing security reasons across the fence, the ICC’s release seems to suggest that Pakistan will host the competition scheduled from February 19-March 9.

While the global body is yet to reveal whether the tournament will be held under a hybrid model after BCCI’s refusal to travel, and given that the PCB has also not agreed to host the tournament in a similar arrangement like last year’s Asia Cup, it seems there is more drama in store for the coming days.