Just days after a controversy was triggered due to the absence of India’s flat from Karachi’s National Stadium ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, amends seem to have been made. In the latest visuals that have been shared on social media from the venue, India’s flag has been placed alongside other participating nations for the Champions Trophy. Many theories were contemplated when the National Stadium didn’t feature India’s flag a few days before the start of the event. But, all seems to be well now.
Several users on social media shared the visuals of the flags of all 8 nations which are participating in the Champions Trophy.
India’s flag raised at the National Stadium in Karachi. What a moment
We have big hearts, we don’t do cheap acts. All 7 Indian journalists granted Pakistan visas too #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/zWfIMCaVex
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) February 18, 2025
As social media went berserk, with fans criticising Pakistan’s refusal to raise the Indian flag at its stadiums, the PCB brushed aside the controversy, saying the flags of the countries who are playing in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have only been raised at the stadiums.
“As you know, India is not coming to Pakistan to play its matches during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025; the National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore have hoisted flags of countries that are going to play at the said venues,” said a PCB source was quoted as saying by IANS.
When asked why the Indian, Bangladesh, and other participating countries’ flags were not there at the Karachi and Lahore stadiums, the source said, “The Indian team is going to play its matches in Dubai. Secondly, the Bangladesh team has not yet arrived in Pakistan and will be playing its first match against India in Dubai. Therefore, their flags have not been hoisted and the other nations, who have arrived here and will be playing in Pakistan… their flags are there at the stadium.”
No Indian flag in #Karachi:
only the Indian team faced security issues in #Pakistan & refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, the PCB removed the #India flag from the Karachi stadium while keeping the flags of the other guest playing nations.#ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/QaZMqglAu1
— shahinur (@shahinu_r) February 17, 2025
The BCCI vice-chairman also reacted to the controversy, saying the Pakistan board needs to first confirm if Indian flag was initially there or not. If it wasn’t, it should’ve been put.
“First, it should be confirmed that whether the Indian flag was there or not. If it wasn’t there, then it should have been put. All the participant nations’ flags should have been there,” Rajeev Shukla told Livemint on the sidelines of the Restaurant Cricket League in Delhi on Tuesday.
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