PCB responds swiftly to India flag controversy

In the days leading up to the ICC Champions Trophy, a controversy erupted over the absence of India's flag at Karachi's National Stadium. However, recent social media posts show that the flags of all participating nations, including India's, have now been appropriately displayed at the venue.

The initial oversight led to widespread speculation and criticism on social media, where fans accused Pakistan of deliberately omitting India's flag. In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) explained that the flags of only those countries playing in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 were initially raised.

"As India will not be competing in matches held in Pakistan, but rather in Dubai, there was no need to hoist their flag here," a PCB source told IANS. The source also mentioned that Bangladesh, whose matches against India are scheduled in Dubai, has not yet arrived in Pakistan, which explains the absence of their flag.

The BCCI vice-chairman, Rajeev Shukla, urged the PCB to verify whether the Indian flag was missing initially. He emphasized the importance of displaying all participating nations’ flags, saying, "If it wasn't there, then it should have been put."

The situation now appears to be resolved, with all nations' flags flying at the designated venues, putting an end to the controversy and allowing the focus to return to the competition.