Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson has hyped up the Champions Trophy. The former cricketer has said that Champions Trophy is the only ICC tournament where every single ball matters.

Watson, a former stalwart of the Australian team, said that the Champions Trophy breaks the monotony of bilateral series and provides an exciting platform where the top 8 teams in the world meet.

for the Champions Trophy on December 24. The board announced the schedule for all the teams, including the venues where the games will be played. The ICC announced that Pakistan will host the tournament alongside the United Arab Emirates since the PCB agreed to a hybrid model to accommodate India.

"Champions Trophy is a critically important tournament in world cricket because the ODI World Cup comes only in 4 years. Champions Trophy was great because it broke up those 4 years. Champions Trophy was a special tournament from a playing perspective because there was always something riding on every single game," Shane Watson told Star Sports.

"When you are playing bilateral series throughout the year, it can get a bit stale. But when you play an ICC event where there is only 8 teams where there is something riding on every ball, as a team you have to hit the ground running early otherwise you will be out," he further added.

The marquee match of India vs Pakistan is set to be played on February 23 in Dubai. In case India reach the final of the tournament, Dubai will host the summit clash. The ICC announced that the tournament will kick off on 19 February with Pakistan vs New Zealand in Karachi and will run till March 9. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.

All matches will begin at 2:30 PM IST. Star Sports will be broadcast all the games in India.

The ICC approved a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025, with matches split between Pakistan and the UAE. The arrangement was finalised after an agreement between the Pakistan Cricket Board PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Under this model, Pakistan will host 10 matches, while India's three league-stage games, including the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan, will take place in Dubai. One of the semi-finals and the final will also be played in Dubai. If India do not reach the final, the summit clash will be played in Lahore.

This agreement addresses logistical and geopolitical challenges while ensuring smooth planning for these marquee tournaments, earning positive feedback from all stakeholders.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY GROUPS

Group A: Bangladesh, India, New Zealand and Pakistan

Group B: Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa