India's opening match in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, February 20, was not just about cricketing action but also about an unusual sight in an India game—rows of empty seats. Despite India's dominant start with the ball, where both Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto were dismissed for ducks in the first two overs, the stadium, which has a seating capacity of 25,000, remained far from full. The lack of spectators at an India match, something rarely seen in international cricket, especially in ICC tournaments, left many fans and experts baffled.
The tournament, co-hosted by Pakistan and the UAE, has struggled with attendance even in its early stages. The previous day's opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi also saw a poor turnout, despite Pakistan playing at home. The low spectator presence has sparked discussions about the waning appeal of One Day Internationals (ODIs) among fans. While India games traditionally draw massive crowds, whether at home or abroad, this underwhelming attendance has led to concerns about ODI cricket's future.
Former Indian Premier League (IPL) President Lalit Modi took to social media to highlight the situation, comparing it to the overwhelming response IPL games receive. He questioned whether ODIs were becoming irrelevant and suggested that perhaps the cricketing world should focus more on Test cricket. "Watching the @ICC Champions Trophy 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 played?" Modi wrote on his X account.
The Champions Trophy, running from February 19 to March 9, features the top eight ranked men's national teams. However, political tensions between India and Pakistan meant that all of India's matches were scheduled to be played in Dubai rather than in Pakistan, following an agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Despite this neutral venue arrangement, the lack of Indian fans in the stands was striking, raising questions about whether high ticket prices, the location, or the growing popularity of T20 cricket over ODIs played a role in the diminished crowd.
Meanwhile, on the field, India continued their dominant display with the ball. After the early wickets of Bangladesh's openers, India tightened their grip on the match, reducing Bangladesh to 35/5. Mohammed Shami and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each, with Patel nearly securing his maiden international hat-trick. His third delivery, which found the edge of Jaker Ali's bat, was dropped by captain Rohit Sharma at first slip, denying him the feat.
The Champions Trophy has historically been an exciting tournament, but dwindling crowd numbers could force ICC and national cricket boards to rethink the relevance of the format. As cricket continues to evolve, with franchise-based T20 leagues gaining immense popularity worldwide, the question remains—does the 50-over format still hold the same allure for fans? The coming matches in the tournament will be crucial in determining whether the attendance issue is a one-off situation or a sign of a larger shift in the sport.
