Lack of Crowd Support Haunts ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai and Pakistan
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which got underway just two days ago, is facing an unexpected issue – lack of support from the crowd, both in Dubai and Pakistan. Despite being the host of the tournament, Pakistan’s stadiums were met with empty stands during the opener between Pakistan and New Zealand, while in Dubai, the matches featuring India, including their game against Bangladesh, have also seen sparse attendance.
Despite the presence of a large Indian and Bangladeshi population in the Middle East, the Dubai Cricket Stadium looked almost empty, even in the 35th over of the first innings of the India-Bangladesh match. This has raised questions about the relevance of 50-over cricket and whether it’s time to scrap the One-Day International (ODI) format.
Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman, Lalit Modi, took to social media to express his concern, sharing a video of the sparse crowd at the match and asking if the format is losing its charm with fans. "Watching the @ICC champions trophy cricket match between #india and #bangladesh. Stands are empty. That would not happen at an #ipl game. Is the one day format becoming irrelevant to the fans? What’s your view? Should one-day cricket be scrapped and more Test cricket?" he tweeted.
Modi’s words have sparked a debate on social media, with some fans expressing concerns about the format, while others argue that it’s the duty of fans to support their teams and not let the teams decide the format. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is being played with a total of 10 teams, with 6 teams in each group.
The issues surrounding the tournament’s attendance have been attributed to a number of factors, including security concerns, travel restrictions, and the ongoing rivalry between India and Pakistan. India, it may be recalled, refused to send its team to Pakistan due to security concerns, with all their matches being played in Dubai.
The tournament’s organizers, on the other hand, have assured that the event is going ahead as planned, with no issues regarding the attendance. In a statement, they emphasized that the tournament is being played with the ‘highest regard for fans, teams and the game of cricket itself’.
In conclusion, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is facing an unexpected challenge, with the lack of crowd support in Dubai and Pakistan. The tournament’s organizers and fans are eagerly waiting for the teams to take the field and engage in some thrilling cricket, which could help reinvigorate the format and bring back the buzz around the game.
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