Rohit Sharma, ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Photo-Getty
Rohit Sharma, ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Photo-Getty

Rohit Sharma not coming to Pakistan and the late arrival of two teams—England and Australia—has reportedly resulted in the Pakistan Cricket Board canceling the plans for an opening ceremony for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The Champions Trophy 2025, featuring eight top ODI teams, will be played from February 19 to March 9. Pakistan is the official host of the tournament, with matches held in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore.

However, India’s games, including knockout matches, will be played in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Before the mega tournament begins, the host country normally organizes a large event that includes all of the team captains. This involves a group photo and a news conference to outline their expectations. For the Champions Trophy, all eight captains were scheduled to attend this traditional gathering.

No opening ceremony for ICC Champions Trophy 2025; no Rohit Sharma for the captain’s photoshoot

However, because of England’s and Australia’s delayed arrivals, the upcoming flagship event will not begin with an opening ceremony, according to their schedules given to the ICC. The annual captains’ press conference and photo shoot have been scrapped, and Rohit Sharma will not visit Karachi.

England will arrive in Lahore on February 18, while Australia will land on February 19. Bangladesh and India will arrive in Dubai on February 15, with Afghanistan arriving in Islamabad on February 12.

New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa will have already arrived in Pakistan after playing a three-nation ODI series in Lahore and Karachi from February 8 to 14. Pakistan will meet New Zealand in the tournament’s opening match on February 19 in Karachi.

ICC and PCB agree that the opening ceremony unfeasible for the ICC Champions Trophy

According to The News, England will have a one-week holiday following their white-ball series in India, which concludes on February 12. Australia, which is currently playing a Test series in Sri Lanka, will recuperate for four days before flying to Lahore. The ICC and PCB determined that organizing an opening ceremony was not viable.

“While the ICC and the PCB had shown interest in organizing the opening ceremony, the arrival schedules of England and Australia teams, taking into consideration their players’ workload management, make it impossible to hold any event before the start of the tournament,” an ICC source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The News.

England and Australia have opted out of warm-up matches due to their late arrivals. Both teams want to enter the Champions Trophy after finishing their ODI series.

PCB to organize special ceremony of ICC Champions Trophy on February 7

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has allegedly finalized plans for the opening ceremonies of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will begin on February 19.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has got final approval from Chairman Mohsin Naqvi for all tournament-related events. The primary inauguration ceremony will take place on February 16 at Hazuri Bagh in Lahore, and high-profile dignitaries are anticipated to attend.

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will open on February 7, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif likely to attend as the chief guest. The celebrations will next continue at Karachi’s National Stadium on February 11, where President Asif Ali Zardari is slated to attend the inaugural ceremony.

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