Pakistan hosts Champions Trophy at home, India hosts tantrum in Dubai

Most people remember their first heartbreak. For some, it’s a high school crush; for others, it’s when their favorite band broke up. But for me? It was Misbah-ul-Haq’s infamous scoop shot in the 2007 T20 World Cup final. That gentle little lob, that fleeting moment of hope, followed by the shattering realization that we had lost to India. That was the day I truly understood pain.

If you’re a Pakistani cricket fan, you know what I mean.

Cricket isn’t just a sport here; it’s our first love, our biggest heartbreak, and our national therapy session rolled into one. It’s the only thing that unites this country more than chai. And now, after nearly three decades of exile from hosting major ICC tournaments, the Champions Trophy is finally coming home on February 19, 2025.

That’s right—Pakistan is officially back on the cricketing map. Well, almost—because, surprise surprise, India has refused to play in Pakistan and will have their matches in Dubai instead.

And here’s the kicker: If India qualifies for the final, it will also be moved to Dubai. If they don’t? The final will be played in Lahore. That’s right—whether the tournament’s grand climax happens in our backyard or in the UAE depends entirely on India’s performance. If that isn’t the most Pakistan cricket thing ever, I don’t know what is.

Pakistan will kick off the tournament on February 19 against New Zealand—a team that, let’s not forget, literally ran away from a tour in 2021 just minutes before the first match, citing a "security threat."

They ghosted us harder than someone avoiding their rishta auntie’s calls.

But to be fair, they’ve apologized in the best way possible—by giving us so many tours and hosting us so often that we’re honestly tired of seeing them. At this point, we’ve played New Zealand so much that even our players probably know the streets of Auckland better than Karachi.

And of course, the big one—Pakistan vs. India on February 23 at the Dubai International Stadium. If you weren’t already marking your calendars, you probably aren’t a real cricket fan.

The Struggle to Get Here

Hosting an ICC event is something we’ve been craving since 1996, back when Pakistan last hosted World Cup matches. Then came 2009. The Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in Lahore, and just like that, international cricket in Pakistan was canceled.

For over a decade, we were treated like the kid no one wanted to sit with at lunch. Teams refused to tour, and every time we thought things were improving, another roadblock appeared.

So, we took our talents to the UAE, where we played "home" series in front of empty stadiums and expatriate uncles who had conveniently taken the day off. We became cricketing nomads, a team without a home ground.

But despite the setbacks, we didn’t stop loving the game. If anything, our passion grew stronger. We made do with what we had—cricket on rooftops, in the streets, and on every patch of grass we could find.

A Nation That Breathes Cricket

The thing about Pakistan is, cricket isn’t just a game here; it’s part of our national identity. We don’t just play cricket—we live it.

From little kids in alleyways dreaming of becoming the next Babar Azam to uncles who still believe they could’ve been fast bowlers "agar bus knee ka masla na hota" (if it weren’t for that knee problem), cricket runs in our veins.

We even made our World Cup-winning captain, Imran Khan, our Prime Minister. Where is he now? Well, that’s a story for another time. That’s how much we love this sport. Imagine England making Eoin Morgan or Ben Stokes their Prime Minister—exactly.

And let’s talk about our cricket anthems. Every time we head into a major tournament, we get a new song to cope with the stress. There’s Jeeto Ya Haaro, Humain Tumse Pyaar Hai (Win or lose, we love you), which feels more like an emotional support mantra than a song. If you’ve never belted out Hai Koi Hum Jaisa? in an overly patriotic mood, are you even a real Pakistani cricket fan?

The "Miracle" Narrative That Needs to Go

Pakistan cricket is famous for pulling off the impossible. We make qualification scenarios look like advanced math problems.

Remember when the Netherlands randomly beat South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup, gifting Pakistan a miracle entry into the semi-finals? Or when we won the 2017 Champions Trophy after being the lowest-ranked team? These moments are legendary, but here’s my issue—I hate the word "miraculous" being associated with us.

Why does it always have to be a miracle? Why can’t we just be good? (debatable, I know.)

Why does every tournament feel like an episode of Survivor where we have to rely on four other teams to lose, a solar eclipse, and Mercury in retrograde just to qualify?

We’ve been labeled the "most unpredictable team" for so long that people forget we’re also one of the most talented. Our fast bowlers are feared across the world. We’ve given cricket legends like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar. Even now, our fast-bowling factory keeps churning out speedsters like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf—guys who can rattle any batting lineup.

And let’s not forget the ultimate underdog story—1992. The "Cornered Tigers" led by Imran Khan were written off midway through the tournament, but they fought back to lift the World Cup, proving that Pakistan cricket thrives under pressure. That wasn’t just luck or divine intervention—it was a mix of skill, resilience, and belief.

It’s time we retire the "miracle" tag. We don’t need magic to win—we just need to be consistent.

Politics and Cricket—A Match Made in Hell

And of course, I can’t talk about cricket without mentioning politics. The Pakistan-India cricket rivalry that can be the plot of any Bollywood movie. The political tensions between the two nations mean we barely play each other outside of ICC events.

And now, India has refused to play their Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and will instead play them in Dubai. Because apparently, they trust the UAE’s security more than ours.

It’s frustrating because cricket should be above politics, but in our part of the world, they’re inseparable. If cricket is war minus the shooting, then Pakistan vs. India is the final boss battle of cricket. But instead of letting the rivalry flourish, politics keeps getting in the way.

And let’s not forget the colonial hangover. Cricket was introduced to us by the British, who probably never imagined that South Asians would take their sport and turn it into a near-religion. Now, we’re the ones dominating the game while England occasionally struggles to play spin.

Movies like Lagaan perfectly capture how cricket became a symbol of resistance, pride, and identity for us. The irony is that the game England left behind has become something we’ve mastered.

Why the Champions Trophy Matters

So, why does hosting the Champions Trophy matter so much? Because it’s about more than just cricket. It’s about proving that Pakistan is ready for major global events again.

Yes, we’ve been hosting international matches for a while now—teams like Australia, England, and New Zealand have toured in recent years—but this is different. This is the first major ICC tournament happening in Pakistan after nearly three decades.

It’s about bringing the game back home on the biggest stage possible. It’s about hearing our national anthem play before a final in our own stadium—unless, of course, India qualifies, in which case the final will be in Dubai. It’s about filling our grounds with the same passion that has kept this nation’s love for cricket alive despite every setback.

After years of exile, of watching our "home" matches take place in the UAE, of fighting for the right to host what is rightfully ours, Pakistan is finally getting the recognition it deserves. And whether we win or lose, one thing is certain—our love for cricket will never fade. Because for us, cricket isn’t just a game. It’s who we are.