The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team will play one practice game in Dubai before the start of the Champions Trophy on February 19. India will begin their game on the following day at the Dubai International Stadium against Bangladesh. Ahead of the start of the ICC event, in a bid to get acclimatised to the conditions in Dubai, India will play one warm-up game, with the opponent all but confirmed.
India could face Bangladesh in the practice game or take on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, the ICC has yet to confirm the date of the match. “An ICC official said that the Indian team will play all its matches in Dubai, so talks are going on about a practice match for the Indian team to acclimatise to the conditions there,” read the report.
Pakistan is the host country for the Champions Trophy. However, amid the long-standing political tension between India and Pakistan, BCCI failed to get clearance from the government for the team’s travel to the neighbouring country, and hence the Rohit-led side will play all their matches in Dubai.
Bangladesh, part of the same group as India, is slated to begin its Champions Trophy campaign against the other. Both will be in Dubai at the start of the tournament, and hence, the report said that there is a “high possibility” that the two Asian sides will face each other in the solitary warm-up game.
However, if no consensus is reached between India and Bangladesh, the report added that the UAE could host a practice game. While UAE is not part of the Champions Trophy, the team will be available for a match against India.
