India’s cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, is unlikely to go to Pakistan for a meeting with other team captains ahead of the Champions Trophy in 2025, according to a report by Geo TV. England and Australia have plans to arrive in Pakistan that could lead to the cancellation of the tournament’s opening ceremony. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not made any comments about this issue, even though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared ideas for the ceremony. Normally, all team captains gather for a photo session before the tournament starts, but this time might be different since it’s been a long time since Pakistan hosted an ICC event.
Due to security issues, India has decided not to travel to Pakistan and will instead play all their matches in Dubai. If they make it to the finals, that game will also happen in Dubai. As a result, it is unlikely that Rohit and some other captains will attend the meeting in Pakistan. The PCB has now canceled the captains’ photo shoot and press conference.
Instead of the usual events with all eight captains in Karachi, Indian captain Rohit Sharma won’t be traveling there. Earlier rumors from Indian media suggested otherwise but have now been laid to rest. Meanwhile, England and Australia are expected to arrive in Lahore on February 18 and 19. Bangladesh and India will land in Dubai on February 15, and Afghanistan is coming to Islamabad on February 12. New Zealand and South Africa will already be in Pakistan for a short ODI series from February 8 to 14.
Additionally, England and Australia have decided not to participate in the warm-up games before the Champions Trophy. They will head straight into the tournament instead. England just completed a tour in India and will take a one-week break, while Australia will have a short rest after finishing their Sri Lanka tour. Both teams feel it’s better to rest than play warm-up matches because of their tight schedules.
An ICC official mentioned that both the ICC and PCB had wished for an opening ceremony, but timing and player workloads made that difficult. The PCB said they never officially planned an opening event. Even without the opening ceremony, they are excited to show off Pakistan’s cricket history with a special event before the Pakistan vs. New Zealand match on February 19 in Karachi. The tournament is set to start in mid-February and promises many exciting matches, despite the lack of an opening ceremony.
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