Lahore, Jan 15 (PTI): The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy will be held either on February 16 or 17 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that India captain Rohit Sharma will be in attendance at the event.

The PCB source also said that it is awaiting communication from the ICC on the schedule of the customary captains' photo-shoot and the pre-event press conference.

The eight-team tournament will get underway on February 19 in Karachi. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai, starting with the clash against Bangladesh on February 20, after refusing to travel to Pakistan owing to security concerns.

The source said PCB has procured all relevant clearances from its government to promptly issue visas to all captains, players and team officials who will come here for pre-tournament events.

"This obviously includes Rohit or any other Indian team player or official or board official," he added.

Another source confirmed to PTI that the PCB has made it clear to the ICC that the opening ceremony, featuring all teams and their captains, will take place in Pakistan.

"This is in line with the usual protocols and since the opening match is on 19th the opening ceremony can be expected either on the 16th or 17th," the source added.

He said the schedule of the opening ceremony would depend on the warm-up matches list.

The source said that recently three Indian nationals, who were a part of the ICC delegation which came to Pakistan, were promptly issued visas once the world body sent their names to the PCB.

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Bahrain: Dr. Arathi Krishna, Vice President of the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Forum, Government of Karnataka, participated as the Guest of Honour at the prestigious Global Women’s Economic Forum and Exhibition held on January 13, 2025 in Bahrain.

The international event, known for its pivotal role in empowering women entrepreneurs and professionals, provided a unique platform for showcasing business innovations and fostering leadership among women.

During the event, Dr. Krishna emphasized the significance of women’s contributions to entrepreneurship and technological advancements. She noted that the forum's dynamic workshops, panel discussions, and expert speeches offered specialized insights into innovative practices, financial management, and the adoption of new technologies. These knowledge-sharing opportunities are designed to support emerging women entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive in a competitive global marketplace.

Highlighting the transformative power of such initiatives, Dr. Krishna remarked on the growing achievements of women entrepreneurs in traditionally male-dominated sectors. She acknowledged that the event not only celebrated success stories from across the globe but also inspired young women to pursue entrepreneurship and leadership roles. The participation of women-led businesses from diverse nations underscored the universal nature of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation.

Dr. Krishna also engaged in thoughtful discussions with successful women leaders and interacted with representatives of various Kannada associations in Bahrain. She reiterated her appeal to the global NRI Kannada community to strive for excellence and greater accomplishments in their respective fields.