The opening ceremony and captains' photo-up for the Champions Trophy have been cancelled by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). This means that Rohit Sharma, the Indian team captain, will not need to travel to Pakistan for the event.
A source has stated that there was never a plan for an opening ceremony, and the PCB has not denied this. The last time an opening ceremony with all participating players was held was in Dhaka in 2011.
The Indian government's policy of vetoing the cricket team's visit to Pakistan may have played a role in this decision. The England and Australia teams, both in the same group as India, will be arriving in Pakistan on February 18 and 19, respectively, and will not be available for a captains' photo-shoot or joint press conference before the tournament starts.
The PCB will still hold pre-event ceremonies, including the inauguration of the renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7 and the National Stadium in Karachi on February 11. A local opening ceremony will be held at the Lahore Fort on February 16.
The Champions Trophy will start on February 19 and run until March 9, with India playing all their games in Dubai.
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