The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly declined to feature Pakistan's name on Team India’s jerseys for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan.
This move has frustrated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is now hoping for intervention from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resolve the issue.
It is common practice for participating teams in ICC events to display the host nation’s name on their jerseys. This tradition was followed during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan’s jerseys included India’s name, despite the tournament being held in the UAE.
Similarly, during the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, Pakistan’s jerseys featured India’s name, in line with tournament protocols.
Despite this tradition, the BCCI has decided against traveling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, with reports indicating that India's captain, Rohit Sharma, may also skip the captain’s meeting ahead of the tournament. This decision has added to the growing tensions between the two cricket boards.
A PCB official criticised BCCI's stance, stating, "BCCI is bringing politics into cricket, which is not at all good for the game. They refused to travel to Pakistan. They don't want to send their captain (to Pakistan) for the opening ceremony, and now there are reports that they don't want the host nation's (Pakistan) name printed on their jersey."
"We believe that the world governing body (ICC) will not let this happen and will support Pakistan," he added.
The Champions Trophy will be held from February 19 to March 9, 2025, across three Pakistani cities—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. The tournament will feature 15 matches, with the opening game between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi. A highly anticipated clash between Pakistan and India is set for February 23 in Dubai.
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