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Ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, a fresh controversy was triggered after a video showing the Indian flag being absent from the National Stadium, as per fans on social media, in Karachi surfaced on social media. While the flags of other nations participating in the Champions Trophy were seen at the venue, the Indian flag was missing. The visual left quite a few fans stunned on social media, triggering a debate. While the exact reason behind the Indian flag's absence isn't known, it might have something to do with the fact that the Indian team is playing all of its Champions Trophy matches in Dubai.
The Karachi Stadium is scheduled to host matches for New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and England teams. Just a few days before the start of the event, a video emerged from the venue where flags of the participating nations could be seen, leaving fans wondering why such an act by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was executed.
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
The Indian team refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and it was this stance that forced the Pakistan Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council to convert the tournament into a hybrid mode.
As part of the settlement, India will play all of their matches in Dubai, including the semi-final and final, if the team qualifies. As part of a compromise that was reached, involving BCCI, PCB and ICC, even the Pakistan cricket team would not play its matches in the ICC events that India will be hosting in the coming years.