Indian anthem played by mistake at Lahore Stadium before ENGvsAUS clash

In an embarrassing blunder, the Indian national anthem was mistakenly played before the Champions Trophy match between Australia and England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. The anthem played for a few seconds before officials realized the error and quickly stopped it, replacing it with Australia’s "Advance Australia Fair." The incident left Australian players and the crowd momentarily confused.

The mix-up was particularly bizarre because India is not playing any of its matches in Pakistan. Due to political tensions, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, leading to a hybrid model where all Indian matches are being played in Dubai. The anthem error has sparked fresh criticism over the tournament’s organization.

This is not the first time the ICC has faced backlash over Champions Trophy arrangements. Earlier, controversy erupted when the Indian flag was missing from Karachi’s National Stadium, while all other competing nations' flags were displayed. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had to clarify the situation after facing questions.

Further, the PCB was reportedly upset when the branding for India’s match against Bangladesh omitted the word "Pakistan." While all other fixtures displayed "Champions Trophy 2025 Pakistan," the broadcast for India’s match only showed "Champions Trophy 2025." The PCB lodged a complaint with the ICC, which cited a technical error by the UK-based production company Sunset & Vine. The ICC assured Pakistan that the issue would not be repeated.

The Champions Trophy has already seen organizational delays. The tournament’s schedule was announced later than usual due to disagreements over India’s participation. Initially, the PCB opposed the hybrid model, but after Jay Shah took over as ICC chairman in December 2024, a compromise was reached. A similar hybrid model will now be used for future ICC events, including the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025 and the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.