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India’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign started on a high note with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh, but the game at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium was overshadowed by the sight of empty stands in a venue that can hold 25,000 spectators. For a team that typically plays in front of packed crowds, the lack of attendance raised serious concerns about the relevance of ODI cricket and the ICC’s tournament planning.
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India vs Bangladesh: Dominance Overshadowed by Empty Seats
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first, but the decision backfired immediately. Both Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar departed for ducks, and the team quickly found itself at 35/5.
Mohammed Shami (5/53) and Axar Patel (2/32) led India’s bowling attack, with Patel nearly bagging a hat-trick—only for Rohit Sharma to drop a straightforward catch off Jaker Ali. Bangladesh struggled to post a 228-run total, which was comfortably chased down by India, thanks to Shubman Gill’s unbeaten century (101 off 129 balls).
However, the most debated topic was not the match itself, but the empty stands, sparking criticism of the ICC for failing to generate interest in the tournament.
“ODI Cricket is Losing Its Appeal”: Experts Weigh In
Empty seats at an India match, something unimaginable in recent years, added fuel to the ongoing debate about the decline of ODI cricket.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan had previously expressed concerns over the poor turnout at Pakistan’s opening match against New Zealand in Karachi. Adding to the debate, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi questioned the viability of the ODI format.
“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?” – Lalit Modi on X
Many fans and analysts argued that the ICC made a mistake by hosting matches in Dubai instead of keeping the tournament entirely in Pakistan, the original host nation. Calls have now grown for future ICC events to be hosted in locations where crowd engagement is guaranteed.
“Shift the Champions Trophy to Pakistan”: Fans Demand Change
With the India-Pakistan clash set for February 23 in Dubai, questions remain about whether the ICC can ensure a better crowd turnout.
Many critics have suggested that the Champions Trophy should have been hosted entirely in Pakistan, where cricket fans are known for filling stadiums. However, India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan led to a hybrid model, with Dubai hosting India’s matches.
Fans have now called on the ICC to rethink its scheduling and consider moving future tournaments to nations where ODI cricket still thrives. Whether this means a full return of ICC events to Pakistan remains to be seen, but the low attendance in Dubai has added more pressure on the governing body to make changes for the future of the format.
