Pakistan Cricket Board Responds to Controversy Over Missing Indian Flag in Karachi National Stadium and Gaddafi Cricket Stadium
Kolkata 18/02/2025 - Missing Indian Flag in Karachi.
Lots of controversies are going on over social media after a video got viral on social media of the National Stadium in the Krachi showing the national flags of all participating nations of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is being hosted by Pakistan. However, the controversy started with the missing Indian flag at the National Stadium Karachi and Gaddafi Cricket Stadium, among other national flags of participating countries in this tournament. Indian people and cricket fans from India are alleging that the Pakistan Cricket Board has excluded the Indian flag because of the ongoing political issues between these two nations, India and Pakistan.
Video on ‘X’ of Missing Indian Flag in Karachi
No Indian Flag at Gaddafi Stadium 👌😎#GaddafiStadium #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/bYiFn8bCLX
— Ahtasham Riaz (@ahtashamriaz22) February 8, 2025
India is not going to play any single match in Pakistan in this ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This has definitely dented the image of the Pakistan Government in matters of security concerns and hurt the Pakistani Cricket Board too in front of the world. As the world knows very well, no one can guarantee the safety of Indian cricketers on Pakistani soil at all, so India will play all their matches in Dubai, UAE. Not any single member or player from the Indian squad was available in the opening ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy organized in Pakistan.
One of the senior sources from the Pakistan Cricket Board has spoken to IANS after the controversy got hit over social media and on some Indian news channels. The source said that they have only hoisted flags of those nations who are scheduled to play on Pakistani Soil and not for those who won’t play on Pakistani soil (Taunting on India).
The source was asked about the missing Bangladeshi Flag, on the source said that the Bangladeshi Cricket Team is about to play their first match in Dubai against India. Bangladesh has not yet arrived in Pakistan, so their flag has not been hoisted yet. Flags of all those nations are already hoisted who have landed in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy. As soon as Bangladesh comes here to Pakistan for their second match, the Bangladeshi flag will also get hoisted on the ground.
“I don’t think PCB needs to even give an official statement on this. It’s clear that the controversy is made without facts and aims to damage host Pakistan’s image with fake news,” said the source.
The source said that this is a baseless controversy and PCB does not find it important to release any official statement on this matter.
“Different stadiums in Pakistan are going to host different teams during the Champions Trophy matches. And they’re hoisting their flags to welcome them”, the source also added.
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.
— Nawaz 🇵🇰 (@Rnawaz31888) February 16, 2025
– Absolute Cinema,… pic.twitter.com/2zmcATn7iQ
The source also said that the last time Pakistan co-hosted an ICC event was during the 1996 Cricket World Cup, it’s been such a long time since we hosted any big tournament in Pakistan and hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is a crucial opportunity for the nation to set an example by showing its ability by successfully hosting this world-class international tournament on its own.
Later the source added, in major cities of Pakistan, photos of captains from each team have been used to feature on hoardings and banners across major cities of Pakistan by the Pakistan Cricket Board, keeping political issues aside and looking towards hosting this prestigious tournament successfully as this ICC Champions Trophy is being played after eight long years from the last tournament which was won by Pakistan and as the defending champions of this tournament we are looking the make this even successfully and in the best possible way from the side of Pakistan Cricket Board.
News Article by – Md Imran of Cricket Zon (Former Domestic Cricketer)
