A video of the flags of every participating nation—aside from India—being raised on the stadium’s roof went viral on social media, sparking outrage.
A day before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has provided an explanation for the missing Indian flag at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
A video of the flags of every participating nation—aside from India—being raised on the stadium’s roof went viral on social media, sparking outrage. Notably missing was the Indian flag. Given that India is not playing its matches in Pakistan, many people conjectured that the Pakistan Cricket Board had purposefully omitted the Indian flag as a form of retaliation.
The PCB has reportedly stressed that the International Cricket Council (ICC), not the PCB, made the decision. On match days, the ICC has directed that just four flags be flown: the PCB’s, the ICC’s, and the two teams that are playing that day. India’s flag will not be flown at any of the three locations in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, or Rawalpindi—because they are not playing any games there.
A spokesperson for the PCB stated, “The ICC has advised that only four flags will be hoisted on Champions Trophy 2025 match days – ICC (Event Authority), PCB (Event Host), and the two sides competing on that day, Simple.”
Along with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand, India has been placed in Group A for the tournament. Pakistan and New Zealand will play the tournament’s first match on February 19, 2025.
