Who will India face in their Champions Trophy 2025 warm-up match?

The Indian men’s cricket team is expected to play a warm-up match against either Bangladesh or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.  

A media report on Monday revealed that India will participate in one warm-up game to prepare for the tournament, but the date for the match has not been confirmed yet.  

With both India and Bangladesh scheduled to be in Dubai during the warm-up period, it is likely that the two teams will face each other. If Bangladesh is unavailable, India will play against the UAE instead. 

The ICC Champions Trophy is returning after an eight-year break and will take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The tournament features eight teams and 15 matches across four venues: Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai.  

India will begin their campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. On February 23, they will face Pakistan in a much-anticipated match at the same venue. India will then wrap up their Group A fixtures with a game against New Zealand on March 2.  

Before heading to Dubai, India will host England for a three-match ODI series. The matches are scheduled in Nagpur on February 6, Cuttack on February 9, and Ahmedabad on February 12.  

India announced their 15-member squad for the tournament on January 18. Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Shubman Gill as his deputy.  

Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been included in the squad, but his participation depends on his fitness. Rishabh Pant has been named the first-choice wicketkeeper, ahead of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav also earned a spot, having last played a competitive match in October 2024 against New Zealand.