ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan faces serious allegations of deliberately denying VISA to Afghanistan fans

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has found itself in hot water again after reports surfaced that it deliberately denied visas to the Afghanistan Cricket Team fans for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will commence on February 19, 2025, in Pakistan. Pakistan is hosting its first major ICC tournament since the 1996 Cricket World Cup. Even before the tournament began, Pakistan faced embarrassment on multiple fronts including the Hybrid Model and stadium renovation.

PCB had to accept a Hybrid Model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

India's strong stance to not travel to the country forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to accept the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in a Hybrid format, a stance which they earlier told, would not be possible.

Later, the ICC in Pakistan scrutinized the completion of the Stadiums and Venues that will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 games. PCB was earlier supposed to hand over the Stadiums to the ICC on December 25, 2024, a deadline that was later pushed to January 25, 2025.

Even then the PCB could not deliver the stadiums to the ICC and the deadline was again pushed to February 1, 2025. Now, the PCB will host the inauguration ceremony of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025.

Pakistan faced a delay in renovations of their Stadiums

PCB will inaugurate the National Stadium, Karachi on February 11, 2025. The PCB was found wanting as there was no clarity on the Opening Ceremony and the Captains’ photoshoot along with the Press Conference before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Now, all these events have been canceled and the PCB has decided to organize an inauguration ceremony involving some of their cricketers, diplomats, and other celebrities.

After all this, the Pakistan Cricket Board is now accused of politicizing the entire ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as sources close to Cricketaddictor have informed that Pakistan is deliberately denying visas to Afghanistan fans.

It is a fact that Pakistan and Afghanistan do not have good diplomatic ties for quite some time now. Apart from this, there was a massive clash between the fans of the 2 countries during the Asia Cup 2022 when Pakistan beat Afghanistan in Sharjah in a close match thanks to Naseem Shah’s heroic efforts with the bat.

Afghanistan fans are in the middle of another controversy before CT 2025

Now, from our sources, we have learned that Pakistan is not helping Afghanistan fans in traveling to the country for the ICC tournament. Despite multiple requests to the diplomats, the Pakistan Cricket Board has turned a deaf ear to the fan requests.

Several individuals have shared their experiences of long delays, lack of clarity in the process, and even difficulties securing appointments. For many, the visa remains inaccessible despite months of waiting.

Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament after decades of waiting. It is their responsibility to clean their image in front of ICC and other cricket boards to ensure further visits of cricket teams and fans to the country.

Until now, the ICC has faced a lot of challenges in the smooth conduct of the tournament, and with fresh allegations surfacing every day, Pakistan is not helping its case.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has failed to deliver its promises time and again. The ICC has been unable to market the event locally and hence, the sponsors will be unhappy.

Pakistan does not have an ICC tournament in their country apart from the 2027 Women's World Cup as per the FTP prepared by ICC until 2031. The Asian Nation will lose out on a lot more if they don’t take corrective measures going ahead.