It all started with India’s decision not to send their team to Pakistan. Then came the compromise of a hybrid model. Next, a fresh controversy erupted over whether or not to display the host country’s name on the jerseys and kits. Now, yet another issue has surfaced.
Ahead of the Champions Trophy opening ceremony, two events involving team captains were planned in Pakistan: a press conference and a trophy photoshoot. Additionally, the PCB wanted all captains present at the opening ceremony. Until recently, reports suggested that even if the Indian team doesn’t travel to Pakistan, their captain Rohit Sharma would attend these events in the neighboring country.
However, The Times of India today cited a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stating that Rohit will not be sent to Pakistan. Instead, the BCCI has requested the ICC to move both events to Dubai.
The BCCI source told The Times of India, “The ICC has already accommodated BCCI’s request by relocating India’s matches from Pakistan to Dubai, so this is a minor issue in comparison.”
This suggests that the BCCI is confident the ICC will honor this request as well.
Meanwhile, the debate over including Pakistan’s name on the Champions Trophy jerseys remains unresolved. Traditionally, tournament jerseys feature the host nation’s name and year beneath the event logo, even if the tournament is moved to another country.
For instance, when the 2021 T20 World Cup was relocated from India to the UAE, all teams still wore jerseys that read “India 2021.” Similarly, while India will play their Champions Trophy matches in the UAE this time, Pakistan is still the official host of the tournament.
Regarding India’s objections, a PCB official previously told the news agency INS, “BCCI has brought politics into cricket, which is not good for the game. They refused to tour Pakistan, now they don’t want to send their captain to the opening ceremony, and they’re opposing the host country’s name on the jerseys. We trust the ICC will stand by Pakistan and not allow this to happen.”
Now, all eyes are on the ICC to see how they handle this escalating drama.
