Pakistan Cricket Board Slams BCCI Over Reports Of India Skipping ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ‘Bringing Politics In Cricket’

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has strongly criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amid reports that India’s cricket team, led by captain Rohit Sharma, will not attend the opening ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. The opening ceremony is set to take place between February 16 and 17, ahead of the tournament’s commencement on February 19.

Rohit Sharma was expected to attend the customary captains’ photo shoot and a pre-event press conference in Pakistan, in addition to participating in the opening ceremony. However, the BCCI has neither confirmed nor denied these reports, leading to speculation about India’s participation in the event, which will be held in Pakistan for the first time since the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

According to a report by IANS, a PCB official expressed disappointment over India’s stance, accusing the BCCI of politicizing cricket. The official also raised concerns about India’s refusal to send Rohit Sharma to Pakistan and potentially not wearing the host nation’s name—Pakistan—on their jerseys for the tournament. This is seen as a departure from the tradition where all teams feature the host nation’s name on their official jerseys during ICC events.

“BCCI is bringing politics into cricket, which is not at all good for the game. They refused to travel to Pakistan, and now they don’t want to send their captain to Pakistan for the opening ceremony. They also reportedly don’t want the host nation’s name on their jersey,” the PCB official said on condition of anonymity. “We believe that the ICC will not allow this and will support Pakistan,” they added.

Despite the ongoing tensions, the PCB has confirmed that all necessary clearances from the Pakistani government have been obtained, and visas for players, officials, and team representatives are being processed promptly. The official also reiterated that the opening ceremony, which will involve all teams and their captains, will be hosted in Pakistan, in accordance with the tournament’s usual protocols.

India is set to play all its group-stage matches in Dubai, including the highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 23. India’s Champions Trophy campaign will kick off on February 20 against Bangladesh, with their final group match scheduled for March 2 against New Zealand.

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