How India stole Pakistan’s show in ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was meant to be a historic moment for Pakistan – a long-awaited return to hosting a major international cricket event after nearly three decades. The tournament was supposed to symbolize Pakistan’s resilience and passion for the sport, a chance to reaffirm its place on the global cricketing stage.

However, instead of a celebratory homecoming, the event became a showcase for India’s cricketing dominance, leaving Pakistani fans and officials grappling with a sense of missed opportunity.

Here’s how things unfolded:

A long-awaited homecoming marred by geopolitics

Pakistan’s first opportunity to host an ICC event since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup alongside India and Sri Lanka was highly anticipated.

The nation’s cricketing isolation began after the tragic 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, leading to a dearth of international fixtures on Pakistani soil. The Champions Trophy was envisioned as a celebration of Pakistan’s resilience and passion for the sport.

However, geopolitical tensions cast a long shadow over these aspirations. India’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan, citing longstanding security concerns, led the International Cricket Council (ICC) to implement a hybrid model. Under this arrangement, India played all its matches in Dubai, while the other seven teams adhered to their original fixtures across various Pakistani venues.

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India’s home advantage away from home

This compromise inadvertently granted India a quasi-home advantage.

The conditions of Dubai suited India’s spin-heavy bowling attack, while substantial support from the city’s expatriate fans created an environment conducive to India’s success.

The final between India and New Zealand should have been played in Lahore, but instead was held in Dubai due to a compromise, depriving Pakistani fans bereft of witnessing high-profile matches on their home turf, and dampening the tournament’s local fervor.

A final without the hosts

The climax of the tournament saw India clinch the Champions Trophy, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling final.

Conspicuously, no Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official was invited for the handover of the trophy during the presentation ceremony after the final, despite Pakistan being the designated host of the tournament.

Contrasting fortunes: a shift in subcontinental cricket

The cricket rivalry between the two nations is well-known on both sides of the border. So much so, that it was the subject of a recent documentary on Netflix titled, ‘The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan’.

However, the gap between India and Pakistan in international cricket has widened significantly in recent years. Once a dominant force in the 1990s, Pakistan’s cricketing prowess has waned, especially in high-stakes encounters against India.

While Pakistan still leads the overall head-to-head record in One Day Internationals (ODIs) with 73 wins to India’s 58, the past 15 years tell a different story. Since 2009, India has won 13 of the 18 ODIs between the two sides, while Pakistan has managed just four victories, with one match ending without a result.

Pakistan’s struggles have not been limited to matches against India. The UAE, once considered their “home away from home,” has seen a sharp decline in favorable outcomes for the team. Adding to their woes, Pakistan recently suffered three consecutive home defeats to New Zealand, further highlighting their inconsistency even in familiar conditions.

These setbacks have raised serious concerns among fans and analysts about the team’s trajectory on the global stage.

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A tournament to forget

For Pakistan, the 2025 Champions Trophy may become a footnote in cricketing history, overshadowed by logistical challenges and geopolitical undercurrents.

The 1996 World Cup, with its shared hosting duties and memorable matches, remains the benchmark for successful cricketing events in the region. Unless proactive measures are taken to address the underlying issues, Pakistan’s aspirations as a premier cricketing destination may continue to significantly decline.