The ICC Champions trophy is undoubtedly the most awaited of all tournaments. And the participation of India certainly holds great significance for Pakistan as a hosting nation.
Despite the political tensions between the countries, the world-famous rivalry of India and Pakistan brings great audience and revenue to their play-offs. Moreover, their participation is also integral for commercial reasons.
India has a very huge fan base of cricket on a global level, contributing to the massive viewership of international tournaments. Thus, it helps gather great revenue via broadcasting rights and sponsorships.
Excluding India from the event can put the ICC Champions Trophy into a financial crisis. Therefore, Pakistan is concerned about India’s participation in the event despite the issues and political tensions.
In addition to that, the rivalry between India and Pakistan is popular across the world. The playoffs between two nations are more than just games. Instead, they are cultural traditions which gather millions of fans from around the world.
It is more like a clash between two nations that comes along with the guarantee of action-packed entertainment and house-full stadiums. Therefore, a champion’s trophy without India would lose all the charm, viewership, and unique attraction of the tournament.
Also, Pakistan’s efforts to ensure India participates are politically valid. It shows a mature stance of Pakistan about separating politics from sports. It is their effort towards giving priority to global cricket over regional disputes.
The absence of India would derive the greatest ICC tournament of a significant play-off, adversely impacting the competition and international appeal. By enforcing the participation of India, Pakistan is only trying to acknowledge the unifying power of cricket and make sure that the tournament is a success.
To put it all condensed, India’s participation will not only benefit Pakistan and India but cricket as a whole. It will help Champions Trophy 2025 to appear as a full-fledged tournament and the fans can get entertainment in full swing.
