ICC Champions Trophy 2025: A New Era Without Traditional Opening Rituals

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will forego the typical captains' meet and official photoshoot due to logistical challenges and a new hybrid tournament model. Instead, an ICC-supported event in Lahore will precede the matches. Political tensions lead to India playing in Dubai, bypassing Pakistan visits.

Breaking from tradition, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will not host the customary captains' gathering or official photoshoot, a practice typically centralized in the host nation pre-tournament. According to ESPNcricinfo, logistical constraints have led to this significant change.

The Pakistan Cricket Board clarified that neither the ICC nor the PCB planned an official opening ceremony. However, Lahore is set to host an ICC-supported event on February 16, days before the tournament kicks off. ICC representatives are expected to attend the Lahore event amidst the challenges posed by the tournament's hybrid model, which spreads matches across four venues across two nations. Teams are scheduled to arrive just before the start, with Australia landing on February 19, the day of the opening match.

This move also avoids potential diplomatic tensions involving Indian captain Rohit Sharma's presence in Pakistan. With India eschewing playing in Pakistan since 2008 due to ongoing political issues, they will participate in the Dubai-hosted matches, including a possible final. The BCCI confirmed that there were no discussions regarding Sharma traveling to Pakistan. Similarly, logistical issues prompted the ICC to hold a digital launch instead of the usual captains' meeting during the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will unveil two newly renovated stadiums. Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, undergoing substantial renovation, will be opened by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on February 7, preceding the first ODI of a tri-series with South Africa and New Zealand. The National Stadium in Karachi will see its inauguration by President Asif Ali Zardari on February 11.

(With inputs from agencies.)