The participation of the Indian cricket team or their captain, Rohit Sharma, in the Champions Trophy 2025 opening ceremony in Pakistan remains uncertain amid ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan.
Scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, the ICC Champions Trophy has adopted a hybrid hosting model to accommodate India’s concerns. Under this arrangement, all matches involving India will be played in Dubai instead of Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan’s matches in any future ICC event hosted by India will be held at a neutral venue.
India has refrained from playing bilateral cricket with Pakistan since the 2012-13 series, and its last visit to Pakistan was during the 2008 Asia Cup. Despite this, Pakistan has sent its teams to India for ICC events.
While the Indian media has reportedly queried the PCB about whether the BCCI or ICC has contacted them regarding India’s attendance, the PCB clarified that no such request has been made. The PCB has already asked the ICC to ensure timely submission of team details, including players, coaching staff, and officials, for visa processing.
A source revealed that the PCB has planned the opening ceremony in Pakistan, featuring all participating teams and captains, in line with ICC event traditions. The PCB emphasized that the communication was general and not targeted at any specific country or player.
Providing visas for players, officials, commercial partners, media, and spectators is the host nation’s responsibility While there is still no official word on whether the Indian team or its captain will physically attend the ceremony, some speculations suggest that the ICC might explore options for virtual participation if necessary. This would allow India to maintain involvement in the event while adhering to the sensitive political climate surrounding cricket diplomacy between the two nations.
The question of India’s attendance at the Champions Trophy opening ceremony remains open, and only time will tell how this situation unfolds in the lead-up to the tournament.
