ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is under scrutiny after India’s national anthem was mistakenly played before the Australia-England match in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore on Saturday.
Sources revealed that the incident led the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to request clarification from the ICC. The error occurred just before the start of the match when India’s anthem was played instead of Australia’s.
The ICC, responsible for overseeing the tournament, faced criticism for this oversight. Sources indicated that the Champions Trophy playlist, prepared by the ICC, included India’s anthem, despite India not playing any matches in Pakistan.
The PCB has formally contacted the ICC, demanding an explanation for the mistake. A source from the PCB stated, “Not only Pakistan but everyone deserves an explanation for this error.”
The ICC has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
India, citing government advice, chose not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and is playing all its matches in Dubai. The team’s Group A campaign began with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
In another controversy, the broadcast of the India-Bangladesh match in Dubai earlier this week omitted Pakistan’s name from the official tournament logo, leading to widespread speculation. An ICC official clarified that this was due to a “technical glitch,” assuring that future matches in Dubai would feature the host nation’s name in the logo.
