Champions Trophy 2025: PCB explains absence of Indian flag in Pakistani venues for 'Mini World Cup'

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded to the latest controversy surrounding the ICC Champions Trophy , this one pertaining to the absence of an Indian flag at its venues for the upcoming tournament. A clip purportedly filmed at Karachi’s National Stadium highlighted the absence of an Indian flag at the venue that hosts the tournament opener between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand on Wednesday.

It has since gone viral on social media, with several Indian cricket fans slamming the PCB for what they perceive is a petty move. The clip has also led to some Pakistani netizens using the opportunity to troll their neighbours.

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The Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB, however, insists the decision to remove the Indian flag from the three venues that will be hosting Champions Trophy games has nothing to do with Pakistan’s bilateral relations with India. Rather, the board has chosen to hoist the flags of teams that will be playing their matches in Pakistan.

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“As you know, 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,” a PCB source was quoted by IANS as saying.

No Indian flag in Karachi: As only the Indian team faced security issues in Pakistan and refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, the PCB removed the Indian flag from the Karachi stadium while keeping the flags of the other guest playing nations. pic.twitter.com/rjM9LcWQXs

— Arsalan (@Arslan1245) February 16, 2025

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PCB explains absence of Bangladesh flag in Lahore and Karachi

When asked as to why the Bangladeshi flag was not hoisted in Lahore and Karachi, the PCB source explained that the flags at the venues are hoisted according to the teams playing at that venue. The Bangla Tigers will be playing two matches in Rawalpindi after facing India in Dubai, because of which their flag has not been hoisted at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Stadium.

“The Indian team is going to play its matches in Dubai. Secondly, the Bangladesh team has not yet arrived in Pakistan and will be playing its first match against India in Dubai. Therefore, their flags have not been hoisted and the other nations, who have arrived here and will be playing in Pakistan… their flags are there at the stadium.

“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,” the source said.

“Different stadiums in Pakistan are going to host different teams during the Champions Trophy matches. And they’re hoisting their flags to welcome them”, the source added.

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India are the only side that will not be traveling to Pakistan for the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refusing to send the Rohit Sharma-led side to their neighbouring country due to security concerns as well as political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

As a result, the PCB was forced to accept a ‘Hybrid Model’ in which all of India’s games have been moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates – including one semi-final and the final, should they qualify.