No-Captains,-No-Photo

Rohit Sharma’s No-Show as Captains’ Gathering Gets Canceled Before Trophy

 

To fit in with the busy schedule, the traditional captains’ press conference and photo shoot had to be ditched ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced. This also confirms that Indian captain Rohit Sharma will not tour Pakistan ahead of the tournament.

A PCB source revealed that the busy schedules of participating teams led to the cancellation. "All teams have tight schedules before the tournament. England and India are engaged in a white-ball series, while Australia is playing Tests and ODIs in Sri Lanka," the source explained.

 

Inauguration Event Scheduled in Lahore

 

Instead of the usual opening ceremony, the PCB will arrange an inauguration celebration on February 16 at the Huzoor Bagh in Lahore. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will kick off on 19th February, to 9 March 2025. The matches will be held at three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai.

India has opted not to play in Pakistan due to security issues. Therefore, the Indian team will play all their matches in Dubai including the final, if they qualify. England will arrive in Lahore on February 18, and Australia will come on February 19.

 

Renovation of Major Stadiums

 

The PCB has outlined a series of key events leading up to the tournament's opening match at Karachi's National Stadium. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has approved these pre-tournament events, which include the official unveiling of renovated stadiums in Lahore and Karachi.
The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be inaugurated on February 7, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif invited as the chief guest.

Similarly, the National Stadium in Karachi will host an opening ceremony on February 11, where President Asif Ali Zardari has been invited to attend as the chief guest.

 

No Collective Press Conference

 

In a statement, the PCB confirmed that team captains would have no official press conference or photoshoot as all team captains have agreed in coordination with the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was decided for logistical reasons as all captains could not be brought together at one place before the tournament.

"We have also decided in conjunction with the ICC that there will be no official collective press conference of all captains as not all will be available before the tournament nor any official photoshoot at one place," the PCB source noted.

However, the fact that Pakistan has been selected to host an ICC event, the ICC Champions Trophy, represents the return of a major event and the ICC will come to Pakistan despite the ongoing logistical and security challenges they face.