No Opening Ceremony For ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The question of him going or not going has been settled. Rohit Sharma can very well stay put in Dubai, where the Indian cricket team is camped in preparation for the Champions Trophy-there is no need now for him to cross over to Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), along with the ICC, has cancelled the planned opening ceremony or captains’ photo-up prior to the eight-nation championship. He would have needed to be there otherwise.
The ICC or PCB never announced that there would be an opening ceremony,” said a source aware of the developments. The board did not comment on the issue, but they did not deny the fact that there won’t be an official opening ceremony or captains’ photo-op before the Champions Trophy-an ICC event they are hosting for the first time in almost 30 years.
There has been mounting anticipation over whether Rohit will cross the Wagah border. This will be the first time that a current Indian cricketer steps into Pakistani soil since 2008. However, there will no longer be any such need. Authorities cited recent precedents to argue that no opening ceremony was ever planned. “The last opening ceremony with all the participating players taking part was held in Dhaka in 2011 (World Cup). It has never happened since,” said a source.
The difference in diplomatic mode between India and Pakistan can also not be left outside a discussion on this topic. The Indian government has been spoon-fed with veto notices each time the cricket team wants to visit Pakistan. Removing this from the context can only be conjecture as to whether it has opposed opening ceremonies planned for Karachi as well. Nevertheless, whether the Indian government has disallowed Rohit’s trip or not lies with its line of reasoning.
To emphasize their point, the organizers expressed that there would be no photo shoot before the last T20 World Cup, which was held in the West Indies and USA in June 2024. “Nor will there be any combined press conference before the tournament starts,” it was pointed out. It is appropriate to mention that for the first time, Ahmedabad will host a press conference for all ten captains before this World Cup.
The organizers explain that an opening ceremony or a joint meeting of the captains is not feasible due to the arrival of teams on different dates in Pakistan. The England team will arrive in Lahore on February 18, approximately a week after the last ODI in Ahmedabad on February 12, since it is rumored that they will take a break after the present white-ball series.
The Australian side will arrive in Pakistan on February 19, five days after concluding its two-Test series in Sri Lanka on February 14. England and Australia, in the same group, will play in Lahore on February 22. “Both sides took a break en route to Lahore,” the source revealed.
“The captains will not be available for media interactions following the game’s opening party on February 19, due to teams arriving on different dates (one day before or on the day of the opening match); hence there will be no photo shoot or joint press conference for the captains,” the source confirmed that the India captain will not be required to report in Pakistan officially.
However, it is now certain that PCB will conduct some pre-event ceremonies. The renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on February 7, while President Asif Ali Zardari will inaugurate the National Stadium in Karachi on February 11. Locally, the PCB will hold an opening ceremony at Lahore Fort on February 16. Some top PCB officials will certainly attend. ICC staff may make an appearance.
The Champions Trophy will kick off on February 19 running until March 9, during which India will play all their matches in Dubai.
Also Read: Josh Inglis`s Hundred On Debut Against Sri Lanka
