PCB responds to reports of Rohit Sharma’s likely visit to Pakistan

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the opening ceremony of the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy will be hosted in Pakistan, with all eight participating team captains set to attend.

This announcement follows reports suggesting that Rohit Sharma, the captain of India's national team, may travel to Pakistan for the pre-tournament events, which will include a photo shoot with the captains and a press conference.

Although the event has been confirmed by the PCB, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet released an official statement regarding Sharma’s participation in the ceremony.

According to sources within the PCB, the board is responsible for securing visas for all players, officials, media personnel, and fans attending the tournament.

The PCB also highlighted that it had arranged visas for the ICC inspection team, which included three Indian delegates, who recently visited Pakistan to assess preparations for the tournament.

The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 16 or 17, depending on the timing of the warm-up matches. The ICC will conduct a final review of the plan before issuing a formal decision.