BCCI Refuses to Print ‘Pakistan’ on India Jerseys for Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan accuses India of politicising cricket and undermining the spirit of the game

Tue Jan 21 2025
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ISLAMABAD: A new storm is brewing ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to take place in Pakistan and Dubai, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to feature ‘Pakistan’ on Indian team’s jerseys.

Although India will compete in the tournament from Dubai, Pakistan remains the official host. The controversy arises from a hybrid arrangement agreed upon by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), following BCCI’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan.

A PCB official, speaking anonymously, accused the BCCI of injecting “politics into cricket” by rejecting the inclusion of Pakistan’s name on Team India’s jerseys. This comes after the Indian board had also declined to send Captain Rohit Sharma to Pakistan for the captains’ meet, a precursor to the tournament.

“BCCI is politicising cricket, which undermines the spirit of the game. They’ve opted not to travel to Pakistan and are now resistant to having the host nation’s name on their jersey. We trust that the ICC will intervene and support Pakistan in this matter,” the official said.

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Despite PCB’s strong push for collaboration, the BCCI has stood firm in its decision not to send Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Ultimately, the Pakistan Cricket Board acquiesced to India’s conditions, which could limit future opportunities for the PCB to send its team to India for ICC events.

With the Champions Trophy just a month away, the backdrop of controversies continues to capture headlines.

 

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