Excitement is growing among Pakistani cricket fans as the country prepares to host the ICC Champions Trophy, its first major multi-nation cricket tournament in nearly three decades.
Pakistan is hoping the event will help ease concerns over instability and bolster its reputation as a tourism and investment destination.
Street cricketers in Karachi and Lahore expressed their enthusiasm for the tournament, which will be played on home soil for the first time since 1996. The competition will feature New Zealand, England, Australia, Afghanistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and India, alongside the host team.
India to play matches in Dubai
While all participating teams have agreed to play in Pakistan, India will play its matches in Dubai, including its highly anticipated encounter against Pakistan—the latest chapter in one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries.
Cricket remains a national obsession across South Asia and a major revenue driver in neighboring India. Pakistan, eager to showcase itself as a viable international cricket venue, hopes the tournament will strengthen its global standing. However, India’s partial absence dampens the diplomatic significance of the event.
A rivalry beyond cricket
Pakistan and India, which have fought three wars since their 1947 partition, only face off in multi-nation events due to long-standing political tensions. Matches between the two nations are among the most-watched sporting contests in the world.
As the Champions Trophy kicks off on February 19, Pakistan remains mired in political and security challenges. The country is battling two insurgencies while former Prime Minister Imran Khan, its most celebrated cricket hero, remains imprisoned following a fallout with the military.
Despite the turmoil, the government and the Pakistan Cricket Board see the tournament as a rare opportunity to reshape Pakistan’s image.
Pakistan last hosted a major international tournament in 1996, when it co-hosted the Cricket World Cup as the defending champion under Khan’s leadership. Now, as Pakistan returns to the global stage, fans across the country are gearing up, donning Champions Trophy T-shirts, and hoping for a new era of cricketing success at home.
