The Champions Trophy is poised to make its return after an eight-year hiatus, with Pakistan having claimed victory in the last edition held in 2017. Notably, the defending champions will serve as the host nation, prepared to welcome seven other teams for the eight-nation ICC tournament commencing on Wednesday. In anticipation of the event, the flags of the seven participating teams, including Pakistan's, were displayed at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore; however, the Indian flag was conspicuously absent.

During a recent event at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, spectators observed the absence of the Indian tricolour, while the flags of all other seven teams were present. A video capturing this moment quickly gained traction on social media.

Fans speculated that this omission was a reaction from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to refrain from sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, following the lack of governmental clearance. After extensive negotiations between the two boards, which included the PCB threatening to withdraw from the tournament, India ultimately agreed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai as part of a hybrid model. This arrangement means that the venues for the knockout stage matches and the final will only be determined if India progresses far enough in the tournament.

Champions Trophy to begin on February 19

The ICC tournament is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, featuring the host nation competing against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. India will begin their journey on Thursday, facing Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium, leading up to the highly anticipated match between the two fierce rivals over the weekend.

The four teams mentioned constitute Group A of the Champions Trophy 2025. This group includes Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan. The Group A matches will kick off on Friday, with the team led by Rashid Khan set to challenge South Africa in Karachi.

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