LAHORE: With participating teams absent, some members of Pakistan’s victorious 2017 squad provided the star power as the opening ceremony of this year’s ICC Champions Trophy was held at the Deewan-e-Aam of the historical Lahore Fort on Sunday.

Hosts Pakistan go into the Feb 19-March 9 tournament as defending champions after the International Cricket Council had decided to do away with the tournament before finding a space for it back in the calendar.

“I hope the team can defend the title on home soil,” Sarfraz Ahmed, the captain of Pakistan’s 2017 side said during a panel discussion alongside former South Africa batter J.P. Duminy and ex-New Zealand pacer Tim Southee.

“Those were unforgettable moments for us after lifting the trophy,” added Sarfraz with other members of that history-making side including Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan and Shadab Khan among the audience.

During the discussion, hosted by former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, Duminy predicted that Afghanistan “could be a dark horse” for the semi-finals.

Afghanistan are in Group ‘B’ alongside South Africa, Australia and England.

Pakistan and New Zealand, who clash in the tournament opener on Wednesday, are in Group ‘A’ alongside India and Bangladesh.

Afghanistan, New Zealand and South Africa are already in Karachi for their opening matches next week; the latter two having featured in a tri-series against the hosts which concluded on Friday.

Having seen his former team-mates coast to the tri-series title, Southee was looking forward for more. “We’re in for some very entertaining cricket in the next few days,” he said.

The tournament marks the first ICC tournament on Pakistan soil since it co-hosted the 1996 ODI World Cup and ICC h chief executive Geoff Allardice hopes it will be memorable.

“The Pakistani nation has great passion for cricket,” he said, appreciating the work put in by the Pakistan Cricket Board to renovate the three stadia in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore for the tournament.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, meanwhile, said the tournament is an opportunity for the “country to show its great hospitality and culture”.

The Champions Trophy opening ceremony was held for the first time without the participating teams following India’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan.

There will be no captains’ photoshoot or news conference with all of India’s matches being played in the United Arab Emirates.

The agreement will also see Pakistan play its matches on neutral venues during tournaments hosted by India.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2025