PCB removes Indian flag from Karachi stadium ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy, video goes viral [Watch]

A new controversy has erupted ahead of the start of the 2025 Champions Trophy involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). A video has gone viral on social media, which shows that the PCB did not include the Indian flag at the National Stadium in Karachi.

In the video, the flags of all participating teams in the 2025 Champions Trophy can be seen at the National Stadium in Karachi. However, the Indian flag is absent, which has sparked controversy and a heated debate on social media.

The reason being speculated for the Indian flag missing is that the Men In Blue will play all of their 2025 Champions Trophy group stage matches in Dubai after they refused to travel to Pakistan for the marquee ICC event.

Watch the viral video posted by a user on X (formerly Twitter) below -

The National Stadium in Karachi will play host to New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and England as these teams will play all their games, except vs India, in Pakistan. As the Indian team refused to travel to Pakistan, the PCB, in agreement with the ICC and the BCCI, adopted a hybrid model for the tournament where India's matches will be played in Dubai.

Similarly, Pakistan will also play their matches at a neutral venue when an ICC event happens in India next.

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India enter 2025 Champions Trophy in solid form

Meanwhile, India enter the 2025 Champions Trophy in solid form. The Men In Blue trashed England 3-0, completing a white-wash in their recent three-match home ODI series.

The Indian team ticked almost all the boxes during their successful series before heading for the marquee ICC event. Moreover, their key players such as skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer among others displayed positive form with the bat.

India's bowlers also performed well as a unit throughout the series, which will give them confidence even though they will miss their ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out after failing to recover on time.

India made it to the final of the previous edition in 2017 and ended as runners-up, losing to Pakistan. They will be keen to go the extra mile this time around.