India wins, Pakistan finds relief too

India turned Dubai into a home ground and remained unbeaten to claim the Champions Trophy for the third time, making their dream of wearing the prestigious white blazer a reality. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India has now won back-to-back ICC tournaments. This victory certainly lightens the burden of their defeat against Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and their loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final at home. With this triumph, India has now won seven ICC trophies—two ODI World Cups, three Champions Trophies, and two T20 World Cups. There is no doubt that Indian cricket is looking ahead, maintaining consistency both at home and abroad.

In the final of the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, India defeated New Zealand by four wickets, ensuring that the trophy remained in Asia. India is a strong and well-balanced team, with some star players shining like the midday sun. From various cricketing perspectives, India started the tournament as the "hot favorite." Playing all matches at the same venue on pitches they were familiar with was a massive advantage. Other teams, including the host nation Pakistan, had to adjust to Dubai’s conditions after becoming familiar with their home pitches. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged the challenges, saying, “We had to go through a lot of challenges, but we moved forward as a team.”

In the semi-final, India defeated Australia, the team that has won the most ICC trophies (ten). On Dubai’s pitches, India played with four spinners, a strategy that proved effective. Statistical analysis shows that Indian spinners were more impactful against their opponents. Interestingly, opposing teams did not field as many spinners against India. India successfully exploited the conditions.

Pakistan was the official host of the Champions Trophy. However, India was adamant about not playing in Pakistan, demanding a neutral venue—Dubai. Pakistan argued that since the ICC had approved Pakistan as the host after ensuring security and other necessary arrangements, India had no valid reason to refuse to play there. Pakistan pointed out that they have participated in ICC events in India, so why shouldn’t India play in Pakistan? But India remained firm in its so-called cricket diplomacy, putting the ICC in a difficult position. Cricket is big business, and the ICC does not want to upset India, which holds a dominant position in cricket commerce. If India refused to play and Pakistan stood its ground, the tournament could have suffered financial losses, affecting all participating teams.

For Pakistan, hosting the Champions Trophy was a long-awaited return of ICC events after 29 years. The last time Pakistan co-hosted the ODI World Cup was in 1996 alongside India and Sri Lanka. Since then, security concerns have prevented Pakistan from hosting any ICC events. The 2008 Champions Trophy was initially scheduled to be held in Pakistan, but security concerns forced the ICC to relocate the event to South Africa in 2009.

The biggest blow to Pakistan’s cricket came in 2009 when terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus outside Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The attack resulted in the deaths of six policemen and two bystanders, while several Sri Lankan players were injured. The team immediately left Pakistan under special arrangements. This incident shook the cricketing world. For the next six years, no ICC member team toured Pakistan. International cricket only returned to Pakistan in 2015 when Zimbabwe visited. In 2017, Pakistan hosted the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with foreign players participating. Since then, every Test-playing nation, except India, has toured Pakistan without any security issues. While India refuses to send its cricket team to Pakistan, its other sports teams do travel there for competitions.

India’s refusal to play in Pakistan appears to be more influenced by geopolitics than security concerns. Cricket between these two neighboring countries always ignites political discussions and nationalistic sentiments. There is an unusual "ego battle" surrounding cricket between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan managed to successfully host the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy. The ICC president praised Pakistan’s organization, security, and hospitality. Pakistan showcased its passion for cricket, and fans demonstrated that their love for the sport remains undiminished.

However, Pakistan’s on-field performance was disappointing. Former cricket greats and fans were deeply frustrated by the team’s lackluster display. Pakistan’s only saving grace was a single point earned due to rain. Cricket experts and former players have criticized the team, warning that Pakistan’s cricket is in a dire state and requires urgent efforts to revive it.

Ikramuzzaman: Columnist & Analyst. Former Senior Vice President of AIPS Asia. Lifetime Member of Bangladesh Sports Press Association. Panel Writer for Football Asia.