Correct Answer:
B. Pakistan.
Explanation:
The correct answer is Pakistan. because it was designated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the official primary host nation for the tournament, marking the return of a major ICC event to the country.
- Step 1 (Official Host Status): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held the official hosting rights for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, scheduling matches across venues in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
- Step 2 (Hybrid Model Context): Due to political tensions and India's refusal to travel to Pakistan, a hybrid hosting model was utilized, resulting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) co-hosting to stage India's fixtures and the final match.
- Incorrect Options:
- India is incorrect because while India won the tournament, they boycotted travelling to the host nation and singularly host the 2029 edition instead.
- England is incorrect because England last hosted the event in 2017 and was not designated to host the 2025 cycle.
- Australia is incorrect because Australia holds no hosting assignments for this specific edition of the tournament.