It was no surprise on Sunday night, as India once again sealed its authority over world cricket, defeating a New Zealand party and picked up the crown of the Champions Trophy, which never seemed like threatening the domination of the world’s best team.
But when Rohit Sharma’s young men expressed their victory by donating famous white jackets, there was no indication that the tournament was hosting and played – mostly in Pakistan.
The ‘Hybrid’ agreement that saw India playing all its matches in Dubai had already diminished the expectations of the crowd in Pakistan, who have been hungry for the return of international cricket in 2009 since this unfortunate day.
But someone would expect the hosts to get one last move. The closing moments and offerings give the world an opportunity to remind the world that it is Pakistan that has worked hard to organize the Champions Trophy 2025.
Instead, the final in Dubai was a virtual domestic game for Sharma and his men. The crowd was a blue sea, half -time entertainment all Bollywood, and from Roger Bani to Jay Shah, all the faces of the presentation event were Indian.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohan Naqvi was prominent from his absence on this occasion. Instead, BCCI President Bani offered jackets to Indian players.
Even the director of the tournament Sameer Ahmed Syed was not on the stage for the presentation ceremony, which makes it like a family matter for India.
But it should be expected, because of how heavy the politics of this game is on India’s victory.
India has become the biggest finance of the game and its grip on the ICC is unbearable.
In this way, the World Organization had to accept its demands to remove its matches from Pakistan – if it was to be eligible, including the final.
The management of the hybrid in the neutral Dubai, when India refused to cross the border with the incompetent performance of the host team led by Mohammad Rizwan, which meant that Pakistan never had a chance to make a mark in its tournament.
This can be a poetic justice if New Zealand – who defeated Pakistan’s party in the group stage and defeated them – won the final.
By the way, most Pakistanis were rooting for them, but the question is whether they also create a chance against the party that made Dubai’s International Cricket Stadium a “home away from home”.
The one -venue advantage, the team that has tried to reduce India, has been identified by all the pundits to convince.
At another time, another place, such a state, has been declared ‘no cricket’ during an international tournament. But with their monopoly on watching the ICC and Eyeball, as far as cricket is concerned, nothing can stop India.
But there were silver rows for the host nation. If India had played and won on the Pakistani soil, it would probably have been the case that Rohit Sharma would have received a trophy from the Prime Minister or the President of his rival. It would have been far more painful memory, which was beyond the realm of cricket and took a potential political meaning.
For now, at least, they avoid criticism in India for engineering easily winning tournaments in the tournament.
Hybrid’s arrangements are expected to apply for Pakistan in next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. It has already been decided that any match related to the green shirts will be played in Sri Lanka.
But the boys will face a long order if they take revenge for the occupation of the Champions Trophy in India.
In the context of his shameful exhibition in the tournament, team management has begun to shake the squad. But only time will tell whether Pakistan will be able to spoil the Indian party within a year.
Dawn, appeared on March 10, 2025
