The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is gaining momentum after the first round of matches, but off-field controversies have grabbed attention. The tournament has been marred by administrative errors, including anthem mix-ups, broadcast issues, and flag-related disputes, overshadowing the on-field action.
In a major embarrassment, the Indian national anthem was mistakenly played before the match between England and Australia at Gaddafi Stadium. The UK’s national anthem was played, but a portion of India’s national anthem began playing. The error was quickly noticed by organizers, and it was corrected.
ICC and PCB Blame Event Management Agency for National Anthem Goof-Up
The unexpected playing of India’s national anthem surprised both players and viewers. Notably, the blunder faced heavy criticism on social media, with many questioning the professionalism of the organizers. The ICC and PCB blamed an event management agency for the anthem mix-up during the match.
“The organizers, both the ICC and the PCB, say the unintended error was by the event-management agency having the contract but the gaffe allowed social media to feast on this,” Cricbuzz reported.
The ICC created and distributed the anthem playlist for the tournament and was responsible for playing it before matches. According to reports, the PCB questioned why India’s anthem was included in the playlist.
The Men in Blue will not play any matches in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy, despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament. However, India will play all of their fixtures, including knockout matches, in Dubai.
Josh Inglis Registered First ODI Century as Australia Secured Five-Wicket Victory
Josh Inglis registered his first ODI century as Australia pulled off a commanding five-wicket victory over England. The Men in Yellow set a new record for the highest successful run chase in Champions Trophy history.
England posted a total of 351-8, surpassing New Zealand’s previous tournament record of 4-347 against the US at The Oval in 2004. Ben Duckett played an outstanding knock of 165 runs off 143 balls. England’s record total was short-lived, as Australia chased down 356 with five wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.
Australia will take on South Africa on Tuesday and Afghanistan on Friday. A single victory from these matches could be enough to secure a semi-final spot by finishing in the top two of Group B.
PCB Raised Concerns Over Missing Name and Logo in India-Bangladesh Broadcast
Earlier, tensions rose between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the ICC over a broadcast issue during the match between the Men in Blue and Bangladesh in the tournament. The PCB objected to the absence of ‘Pakistan’ in the watermark branding on the live feed, an anomaly not seen in other matches.
Following the complaint, the ICC acknowledged the mistake and agreed to restore the complete three-line branding, including ‘Pakistan,’ for all future broadcasts. The event’s production team, Sunset+Vine, attributed the issue to a formatting error and assured that it would be fixed in the next match.
Also read: Pakistan Cricket Board blasts ICC for India National Anthem goof-up during AUS vs ENG; demands explanation