The International Cricket Council (ICC) remained silent on the matter even as the PCB revealed its plans for the opening ceremony. Captains of all participating teams gather for a pre-tournament photo-op before the start of an ICC event. That has been the norm in the last decade or so, but things might be a bit different this time around as Pakistan is hosting an ICC event for the first time since 1996 but with a catch.

India will not travel to Pakistan for security reasons; instead, they will play all their matches in Dubai. If they qualify for the final, it will also be played in Dubai. That gave rise to speculations about Rohit’s availability for the captains’ event.

Now, it has come to light that Rohit and the captains of a few other teams are also unlikely to reach Pakistan before the start of the tournament therefore prompting PCB to cancel the captains’ photoshoot and press conference altogether.

“Traditional pre-tournament events, including the press conference featuring all eight captains and the official photo shoot in Karachi, have also been cancelled. Indian captain Rohit Sharma will not be travelling to Karachi for the captains’ conference, dispelling earlier speculations from Indian media,” the report claimed.

The report also added that England and Australia are set to arrive in Lahore on February 18 and 19, respectively. Bangladesh and India are scheduled to arrive in Dubai on February 15, whereas Afghanistan will reach Islamabad on February 12.

Meanwhile, New Zealand and South Africa will already be in Pakistan following a tri-nation ODI series in Lahore and Karachi from February 8 to 14.

England, Australia to ditch warm-up matches before Champions Trophy

According to the report, England and Australia have both decided to skip their allotted warm-up matches. Both teams will enter the tournament directly, foregoing the usual two practice games each team is entitled to. This decision follows the trend seen in recent ICC events, including the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, where teams opted for similar approaches due to tight schedules.

England, having concluded their extensive tour of India, will take a one-week break before the tournament begins. The team’s demanding tour, which wraps up with a white-ball series against India on February 12, leaves little time for preparation, forcing them to forgo their warm-up matches.

Similarly, Australia, after completing their Sri Lanka tour on February 14, has opted for a four-day rest period before making their way to Pakistan. The short break will provide the players with a brief window to recharge before they begin their tournament campaign, but the tight turnaround means they will also miss the warm-up games.

Both teams had been allotted two practice matches to prepare for the tournament, but with their late arrival schedules and the need for player workload management, they have collectively decided to enter the competition without these warm-up sessions. The move has been met with mixed reactions, but it is in line with similar decisions made by other teams in recent ICC events where scheduling and rest periods were prioritized.

The report quoted an anonymous ICC official as saying that both the ICC and the PCB had shown interest in hosting an opening ceremony for the tournament. However, due to England and Australia’s tight schedules and the need to manage player workloads, organizing an opening event was deemed unfeasible.

The PCB, while acknowledging the discussions around the possibility of an opening ceremony, clarified that no official confirmation or announcement was ever made regarding the event. Despite the cancellation of the opening ceremony, the PCB is committed to celebrating Pakistan’s hosting of this prestigious tournament. Plans are underway to hold a special event before the Pakistan vs. New Zealand match on February 19 in Karachi, which will showcase the country’s rich cricketing heritage and enthusiasm for the sport.

The tournament, set to begin in mid-February, will feature several exciting matchups. Despite the absence of an opening ceremony, anticipation is high as teams prepare for what promises to be a thrilling cricketing spectacle.