“You don’t play for the crowd, you play for the country,” former Indian captain M.S. Dhoni said in a Red FM interview. His words are valuable advice to players, yet fans are the cornerstone of the game. For years, India has always drawn massive stadium crowds, but the recent India vs. Bangladesh Champions Trophy match shocked officials.
The ICC’s first major tournament of 2025, the Champions Trophy, is in full swing, with three matches already done and dusted. A giant showdown between Australia and England is set for today at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. But unlike past ICC events, the tournament has struggled to draw crowds, leaving stadiums in Dubai and Pakistan eerily empty.
Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament after 29 years, yet the Pakistan vs. New Zealand match lacked the expected crowd. Across the continent, the India vs. Bangladesh game saw the same turnout. Fans and officials were disheartened by the sight of vacant seats and went to social media to voice their concerns. The big question is Is the Champions Trophy losing its spark, or did poor planning set it up for failure?
How are experts reacting to empty stadiums during the Champions Trophy 2025?
Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi went to X (formally Twitter) to question not just the empty stands during the Champions Trophy, but the relevance of 50-over cricket. He wrote, “Watching the @ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between #India and #Bangladesh. Stands are empty. That would not happen at an #IPL game. Is the one-day format becoming irrelevant to the fans? What’s your view? Should one-day cricket be scrapped and more Test cricket?”
Well, it isn’t quite true. As the India vs Pakistan match surely brought a full-packed stadium. So, now the big question is where does the real issue lie? Is it the format itself, or is this year’s venue to blame?
Meanwhile, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan also took a playful jab at the empty stadiums in Pakistan, writing, “Great to see the champions trophy being played in Pakistan. First major event since 1996 .. Have they forgotten to tell the locals it’s on .. Where is the crowd ?? “
While ODI cricket still has its share of historic moments, one thing is pretty obvious. This format is clearly struggling to capture consistent fan engagement, especially outside marquee clashes. Maybe it’s time for the ICC to rethink scheduling, promotion, and even structural changes that might help.
With Pakistan no longer in contention for the Champions Trophy 2025, the spotlight now shifts to the future of the semifinals and finals. After two consecutive wins and yet another masterclass century from Virat Kohli, India has secured its spot in the semis. And most likely, the finals as well.
If India does make it to the final, the very purpose of Pakistan hosting the tournament will take a hit. As the grand finale is set to be moved to Dubai. This raises a crucial question, what should Pakistan do now? Should they push for the final to remain on home soil, or accept the shift and focus on future tournaments? What’s your take on the situation?
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