‘Great Initiative By PCB’: No Indian flag in Karachi stadium ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a controversy emerges when fans have noticed that India’s flag was missing from the National Stadium in Karachi. The flags of the other seven participating teams were, however, displayed. A video of this incident quickly went viral on social media.

Many fans speculate that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) intentionally left out India’s flag as a reaction to BCCI’s decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan. Due to the Indian government’s refusal to grant clearance, India’s matches will be played in Dubai under a hybrid model.

“That’s Great Initiative By PCB To Remove The Country Who Didn’t Want To Come Pakistan,” the Pakistani user who shared a video on Instagram wrote while sharing it. The video has gone viral, gaining over 5 lakh views.

This decision was made after months of discussions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and PCB. Even though PCB initially threatened to withdraw from the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC), under the leadership of Chairman Jay Shah, accepted India’s request to play at a neutral venue.

The knockout matches and the final venue will be determined only if India qualify. This adds further uncertainty to the tournament’s structure. The situation highlights the ongoing political tensions affecting India-Pakistan cricket relations.

The Champions Trophy is set to return after eight years. Pakistan, which will host the tournament, won the last edition in 2017. The competition will feature eight teams, including India, and will start on February 19.

Pakistani fans angry with India

The India-Pakistan Champions Trophy controversy has now affected player interactions as well. In a widely shared video posted by Pakistani journalist Farid Khan, a passionate Pakistani fan urged the Mohammad Rizwan-led team to set aside their friendships with Indian players during the tournament.

The fan specifically advised Pakistani players not to hug Virat Kohli or any Indian cricketer before or during their matches. Expressing frustration, the fan said they wanted India to lose even against Bangladesh and be eliminated in the first round.

The anger stems from India’s refusal to send the Men in Blue to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The fan also mentioned that Rohit Sharma skipped the Champions Trophy meetup.

The fan insisted that Pakistani players should avoid showing sportsmanship or creating any “wholesome moments” with Indian players. He acknowledged many Pakistani players sharing close friendships with Virat Kohli.