Dubai, February 22, 2025: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has raised concerns with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the omission of Pakistan’s name from the Champions Trophy branding during Thursday’s match between India and Bangladesh in Dubai.
Despite Pakistan being the official host of the 2025 tournament, the event logo displayed in the broadcast only featured the title “Champions Trophy 2025”, with no mention of Pakistan. This discrepancy was particularly striking as previous broadcasts—including the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi—had correctly included Pakistan’s name. Similarly, the branding for Friday’s game between Afghanistan and South Africa in Karachi also displayed Pakistan’s name.
The ICC attributed the omission to a “technical error”, assuring the PCB that it was an isolated issue and would not affect future matches. However, the PCB remains unconvinced, questioning why the error occurred specifically during the India-Bangladesh match when event graphics are typically prepared in advance.
The ICC has reiterated that the glitch will not impact upcoming games, regardless of whether they are held in Pakistan or the UAE. All eyes are now on Sunday’s highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan, expected to draw millions of viewers worldwide.
The venue for the tournament had been a contentious issue leading up to the event. While Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed the PCB that the Indian government had not permitted its team to travel to Pakistan. As a result, a hybrid model was adopted, with India’s matches scheduled at neutral venues. Additionally, an agreement was reached for Pakistan’s matches to be played at neutral locations for the next three years.
The PCB continues to seek further clarification from the ICC regarding the incident.
