Days after a controversy erupted over the absence of India’s flag at Karachi’s National Stadium ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the issue now appears to be resolved. Fresh visuals shared on social media show India’s flag placed alongside those of other participating nations at the venue.
The controversy began when social media users noticed that India’s flag was missing from the stadium, sparking criticism from fans. Many speculated about the reasons behind its absence, with some accusing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of deliberately excluding it.
In response, the PCB clarified that only the flags of teams playing in Pakistan were hoisted at stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Since India is set to play its matches in Dubai, the board initially did not raise its flag in Pakistan.
“As you know, India is not coming to Pakistan to play its matches during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The flags of countries playing in Pakistan have been hoisted at the respective venues,” a PCB source told IANS.
The source further explained that Bangladesh’s flag was also absent because the team had not yet arrived in Pakistan and would play its first match against India in Dubai.
Meanwhile, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla reacted to the situation, stating that all participating nations’ flags should have been displayed. “First, it should be confirmed whether the Indian flag was there or not. If it wasn’t, then it should have been put up. All participant nations’ flags should be present,” he told Livemint.
With India’s flag now in place, the controversy seems to have settled, allowing the focus to shift back to the much-anticipated tournament.
