IPL.com

Indian Anthem Plays in Lahore by Mistake, PCB Demands Explanation

by William Campbell

Indian Anthem Plays in Lahore by Mistake, PCB Demands ExplanationThe Pakistan Cricket Board was left embarrassed when India's national anthem played for just a moment at the start of the Australia-England Champions Trophy match on Saturday. They blamed the ICC for the mistake and asked for an explanation. At the start of the match, when both teams lined up for their national anthems, the crowd was surprised as India's national anthem played for a second before suddenly stopping.

A source close to the ICC confirmed that the PCB had sent a letter to the governing body, describing the incident and asking for an explanation.

The PCB said the ICC must explain what happened since its staff manages the national anthem playlists for the Champions Trophy. One source added, "Since India isn't playing in Pakistan, it's really hard to see how their anthem could have been played by mistake."

Batting Collapse Hurts Pakistan Again as India’s Bowlers Dominate

India didn't travel to Pakistan because of security concerns and is playing its Champions Trophy matches in Dubai instead. The two traditional rivals will face off on Sunday in a crucial game, and if Pakistan loses, they will be out of the tournament.

Earlier, the PCB wrote to the ICC about its name logo not showing on TV when India played Bangladesh in Dubai on Friday. The ICC then said it was a mistake and promised that all matches in Dubai would use the three-line horizontal logo with Pakistan's name.

Today in Dubai India and Pakistan played an exciting match. Khushdil Shah came in late and helped Pakistan reach more than 240 runs. The team began well but then suffered another batting collapse, which India's bowlers were able to capitalize on. Both teams were bowled out twice in two games, which shows how tough India's bowling was in this Champions Trophy. Pakistan will now have to try and defend their total. 

ALSO READ: Champions Trophy 2025: Babar Azam Joins Elite List with 1000 Runs in ICC ODI Tournaments