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No opening ceremony for Champions Trophy; Rohit doesn't have to go to Pakistan
No opening ceremony for Champions Trophy; Rohit doesn't have to go to Pakistan
The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan reportedly got canceled due to England and Australia's scheduling.
Rohit Sharma doesn't need to go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) cancelled the planned opening ceremony and captains' photoshoot for the tournament.
A source confirmed that no opening ceremony was announced by the ICC or PCB, and the PCB hasn't denied this. This means Rohit won't need to travel to Pakistan, where no Indian cricketer has played since 2008.
The Indian government has blocked the cricket team's visit to Pakistan. Whether or not the government opposed Rohit's trip to Karachi, this decision aligns with their policy.
The organisers pointed out that no photo shoot took place before the last T20 World Cup and that different team arrival dates in Pakistan made it impossible to gather all captains together. England and Australia are arriving late, and this also contributed to the decision.
The PCB will still hold some pre-event ceremonies in Pakistan, including the inauguration of renovated stadiums in Lahore and Karachi. The Champions Trophy will run from February 19 to March 9, with India playing all their matches in Dubai.