Jet fighters soared over a packed stadium in southern Pakistan, painting the sky with the green and white hues of the national flag, adding a grand spectacle to a sporting event the country had been longing to host for a generation.
The two competing teams made their way into the National Stadium in Karachi, greeted by a thunderous cheer from the crowd, marking the commencement of the Champions Trophy tournament. Cricket-loving Pakistan views this event as a crucial step in re-establishing its position in the global cricketing community.
For years, Pakistan has been excluded from hosting international tournaments due to persistent Islamist militancy and terror attacks, including a devastating assault on Sri Lanka’s cricket team in 2009. However, with cricket powerhouses such as Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, and South Africa now participating in the three-week-long tournament, local fans are elated.
Authorities in Karachi took stringent security measures for the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand on Wednesday. Snipers were stationed on rooftops along the routes leading to the stadium, while commandos and SWAT teams monitored checkpoints across the vast port city.
Farah Qadri, who endured hours under the scorching sun while navigating security checkpoints outside the stadium, described the experience of witnessing the opening game as “surreal” and well worth the wait.
“There were people from all walks of life huddled together, cheering, chanting, and dancing nonstop,” she shared with CNN.
For Basit Ali, a 36-year-old cricket enthusiast watching the match from a teashop in Peshawar near the Afghan border, the tournament signified a positive development for the entire nation.
“I pray that Pakistan successfully defends its title and brings joy to the nation,” he said.
In Pakistan, cricket is more than just a sport—it holds a status akin to a second religion. National team players are celebrated like superstars, their images plastered across billboards. The team’s performance often dictates the public’s mood, oscillating between immense pride and intense frustration.
However, the last time Pakistan hosted an international cricket tournament was in 1996. As a result, an entire generation in the country, which boasts a population of approximately 220 million, has grown up without experiencing the thrill of welcoming the world’s top cricketing nations.
Farees Shah, a cricket podcast host who was among the crowd at the Karachi stadium on Wednesday, described a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
“It’s like you’re the biggest party animal out there, but after ages, you’re hosting the party, so you just want to make sure everything goes smoothly,” he told CNN.
Pakistan is no stranger to challenges off the cricket pitch.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a World Cup-winning cricketer, remains behind bars on charges of corruption and revealing official secrets—accusations he claims are politically motivated efforts to prevent his return to power.
Meanwhile, the country’s economy teeters on the brink, heavily reliant on International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts. Critics argue that the powerful military maintains a strong grip over all aspects of life.
Pakistan has also endured a prolonged Taliban insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Additionally, authorities continue to battle a violent separatist movement in the resource-rich southwestern region.
Cricket has not been immune to this turmoil.
In 2009, Sri Lanka’s national cricket team was ambushed by militants while en route to a match in Lahore. Gunmen sprayed the team’s bus with bullets as it approached the stadium, killing six policemen and two civilians. Several visiting players were injured, sending shockwaves throughout the cricketing world.
In the aftermath of that attack, Pakistan was stripped of its hosting rights for the 2009 Champions Trophy. Another militant attack later led to the country’s exclusion from co-hosting the 2011 World Cup.
Hosting this year’s Champions Trophy marks a “milestone moment” for Pakistan, said Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a statement to CNN.
The tournament, he emphasized, provides “an opportunity to reaffirm Pakistan’s status as one of the most passionate and influential cricketing nations, fully capable of staging multi-nation tournaments at the highest level.”
Authorities are making every effort to ensure the smooth execution of the event.
Pakistan’s national airline has scheduled special flights to transport visiting teams between match locations. Moreover, authorities have granted “state guest status” to all players and match officials, treating them with the same level of hospitality typically reserved for foreign heads of state.
The Elephant in the Room
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the tournament, one significant absence looms large.
India, the world’s top-ranked cricket team and Pakistan’s fiercest rival, has opted not to participate on Pakistani soil.
Citing “security reasons,” Indian cricket officials have refused to send their team to Pakistan. Instead, India’s matches will be played in the United Arab Emirates.
This decision has disappointed fans worldwide and angered Pakistani supporters, who have been deprived of the chance to witness a high-stakes India-Pakistan clash on home turf.
Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three wars. The two nations have imposed strict restrictions on trade and cross-border movement, despite sharing deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties—not to mention an undying passion for cricket.
India-Pakistan cricket matches are among the most highly anticipated sporting events globally, attracting massive sponsorship deals and widespread media coverage.
In the 2017 Champions Trophy final, an estimated 400 million viewers tuned in to watch Pakistan defeat India. By comparison, viewership for the most recent Super Bowl was significantly lower, drawing approximately 127 million spectators.
Naqvi, the PCB chairman, lamented India’s absence, calling it “a loss for spectators, broadcasters, media, and the tournament itself.”
“But it is also a missed opportunity for Indian players to experience the warmth, love, and hospitality that Pakistan has always extended to visiting teams,” he added.
CNN reached out to India’s cricket board for comment but received no response.
Despite India’s absence, for cricket fan Basit Ali in Peshawar, the most anticipated moment of the tournament remains Pakistan’s upcoming match against India—even if it will take place in Dubai rather than in Pakistan.
“The real excitement will be when Pakistan faces India. I can’t wait for that!” he said.
Farees Shah, the cricket podcast host, echoed this sentiment, saying he wanted “nothing more than Pakistan cricket to do well.”
“It is equally important to me that the tournament goes effortlessly,” he added.
