Dubai, January 22, 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the Indian cricket team will comply fully with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) guidelines for the upcoming Champions Trophy, including wearing jerseys featuring the ICC logo with the name of the host nation, Pakistan.
“We will follow whatever the ICC guidelines are,” stated BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, addressing recent speculation regarding the inclusion of Pakistan’s name on the jerseys. When asked specifically about this aspect, Saikia reaffirmed, “We will follow the ICC directive.”
This announcement puts an end to rumors about potential opposition from India regarding the official tournament branding. The Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, is being hosted by Pakistan. However, due to political and security concerns, the Indian team will play all their matches in Dubai, continuing the absence of Indian tours to Pakistan since 2008.
In ICC tournaments, all teams are required to adhere to branding protocols, including jerseys that display the host nation’s name. This ensures uniformity across all participating nations. For instance, in the 2017 Champions Trophy, England and Wales were listed as hosts on the jerseys, and during the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan’s players donned shirts featuring India as the host.
The situation contrasts with the 2023 Asia Cup, where the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) opted to exclude the host nation’s name from the tournament logo due to differing branding policies.
The BCCI has not disclosed whether Indian captain Rohit Sharma or other team representatives will attend the opening ceremony scheduled for February 19 in Karachi, where the tournament’s first match will also take place.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated that it has received no official objections or requests from the BCCI regarding the event. The ICC, while confirming its guidelines remain unchanged, declined to comment further, stating it has not received any formal communication from the Indian side.
The Champion’s Trophy is expected to attract significant global attention, with adherence to ICC protocols playing a key role in maintaining consistency and professionalism throughout the tournament. Despite the political complexities between the two neighboring nations, cricket remains a unifying platform for sportsmanship and global engagement.
The tournament promises exciting cricketing action while emphasizing the importance of collaboration under the umbrella of international regulations.
