There has been a lot of drama surrounding the locations that will host the ICC tournament this season, and the Champions Trophy is only five days away. During the ODI Tri-Series, which featured South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan in addition to Pakistan, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Stadium in Karachi were opened.
Despite numerous predictions that the Champions Trophy venues would not be prepared for the competition, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made sure that the grounds in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi would be ready on time and that strict security would be in place throughout the event. But subsequent instances, such as the National Stadium ceremony where supporters were given free admission to see their favorite players before the venues opened, have shown differently. There were still some issues in the stadium, despite the fantastic crowd cheering scenes.
On social media, a video of supporters violently scaling the barrier surrounding the VIP stands in Karachi has gone viral.
Particularly considering that the PCB had assured that there would be excellent protection during the events, these are not very impressive scenes. This was not all, though, as another fan broke through the stadium’s security and entered the field during the ceremony. The ground crew and the PCB were not impressed with the situation, even though security was able to finally subdue the fan.
Check out the clips below:
BIG NEWS 🚨 MASSIVE chaos at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opening ceremony in Karachi!
Pakistani fans climbed the stadium fence near the VIP entry during the event.
Pakistani Audience even vandalized the arrangements.
Indian Cricket team did not go to Pakistan due to security… pic.twitter.com/Wl2vBMTGBB
— Times Algebra (@TimesAlgebraIND) February 13, 2025
Unexpected moment! A fan stormed the field during last night’s National Stadium opening ceremony! 🤯🏏#TOKSports #NationalStadium #Karachi #TOKCT25 pic.twitter.com/KJnNW88PFm
— TOK Sports (@TOKSports021) February 12, 2025
In relation to it, the National Stadium will host the Tri-Series final, which will pit New Zealand against Pakistan. Although New Zealand has yet to lose in the series, Pakistan bounced back from a disappointing loss to the Black Caps in their opening match against South Africa. Mohammad Rizwan, the captain of Pakistan, and Salman Ali Agha, the vice-captain, ensured that they chased down a massive total of 350+ to advance to the tournament finals.
India
