New Delhi: Indian captain Rohit Sharma is unlikely to travel to Pakistan as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have cancelled their planned opening ceremony or captains photoshoot for the Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to begin on February 19.
According to a Cricbuzz report, an opening ceremony or an official gathering of the captains is not possible due to the unavailability of teams caused by tight travel schedules. A well-informed source told Cricbuzz that an opening ceremony was never announced by the ICC or the PCB.
The PCB did not comment on the matter but also did not deny that there would be no captains’ photoshoot or opening ceremony for the eight-team tournament. The possibility of Rohit travelling to Pakistan for the opening ceremony has ended following the latest report.
The authorities also cited recent examples to support their argument. A source stated that the last opening ceremony featuring all participating players was held in Dhaka before the start of the 2011 ODI World Cup, and it has not happened since.
The organisers emphasise that there was no photo shoot or press conference before the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. But all 10 captains of the teams were called for a press conference in Ahmedabad, before the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
All the teams will arrive in Lahore on different dates. Jos Buttler and Co. will reach Lahore on February 18 after playing an ODI series against India while Australia will arrive on February 19, five days after the Sri Lanka series. “Both the sides have taken a break en-route to Lahore,” the source said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
PCB to organise pre-event ceremonies
According to the same report, The PCB will organise the pre-event ceremonies to reveal the refurbished stadiums in the country. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the renovated Gaddafi Stadium on February 7 while President Asif Ali Zardari will inaugurate the National Stadium in Karachi on February 11. The board will also organise an inaugural for the Champions Trophy on February 11 at the Lahore Fort which will be attended by the top ICC and PCB officials.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma is unlikely to visit Pakistan as PCB suffered a fresh blow in Champions Trophy 2025 preparations. The eight-team tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
