ICC Champions Trophy 2025: PCB reveals reason behind absence of Indian flag in Pakistan stadiums

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: PCB reveals reason behind absence of Indian flag in Pakistan stadiums

Pakistan Cricket Board Explains Absence of Indian Flag at National Stadium in Karachi

Recently, a controversy arose when it was noticed that the Indian flag was missing from the National Stadium in Karachi ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. This sparked a debate on social media, with many speculating about Pakistan’s stance towards India. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now shed light on the issue, providing a clear explanation for the absence of the Indian flag.

Reason Behind Missing Indian Flag

An undisclosed source from the PCB revealed to IANS that the Indian flag was not hoisted at the National Stadium because the Indian cricket team is not participating in matches in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy. The source explained that only flags of countries playing matches in Pakistan will be displayed at the stadiums.

“India is not coming to Pakistan to play its matches during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore have hoisted flags of countries that are going to play at the said venues,” the source clarified.

PCB’s Response

The PCB source emphasized that there was no need for an official statement on the issue as it was mainly a social media controversy that could potentially harm the board’s reputation with misinformation. The source stated, “I don’t think PCB needs to even give an official statement on this. It’s clear that the controversy is made without facts and aims to damage host Pakistan’s image with fake news.”

Additionally, the absence of Bangladesh’s flag was also addressed. The source mentioned that Bangladesh had not arrived in Pakistan yet, as their first match is scheduled to take place in Dubai against India. Once Bangladesh team arrives in Pakistan, their flag will be hoisted at the stadium.

Hybrid Model for Champions Trophy 2025

The Champions Trophy 2025 is being played across three venues in Pakistan – Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. However, due to security concerns, India will be playing all their matches in Dubai. This led to the tournament being hosted in a hybrid model, where India’s matches will be separate from the rest of the teams.

Despite the absence of Indian and Bangladesh flags at the National Stadium in Karachi, the PCB’s explanation has clarified the situation. As the Champions Trophy 2025 unfolds, cricket fans can look forward to an exciting tournament held in Pakistan after 29 years.

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