ICC’s ‘Technical Glitches’ Raise Eyebrows at Champions Trophy
M Naeem Khan Niazi
Lahore: The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 continues to make headlines for non-cricketing reasons, with yet another controversy emerging during the Australia-England clash at Gaddafi Stadium on February 22.
In a shocking blunder, the Indian national anthem was mistakenly played instead of the Australian anthem during the ceremonial pre-match proceedings, leaving spectators and teams bewildered.
The Indian team is not even part of the Pakistan-leg of matches, raising serious questions about the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) handling of the event.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has every right to demand an explanation from the ICC and call for accountability, as this is not the first instance of such an ‘inadvertent’ mistake.
The tournament has been surrounded by controversies long before its commencement, ranging from India’s refusal to play in Pakistan to rumors about the PCB’s inability to complete stadium renovations on time.
The issues escalated further when, during the India-Bangladesh fixture in Dubai on February 20, the name of Pakistan—the host nation—was omitted from the tournament branding during the live broadcast. The logo in the top left corner of the screen displayed “ICC Champions Trophy 2025” but failed to include “Pakistan.”
This was a significant violation of the tournament’s branding guidelines, as the complete logo had been displayed correctly in previous matches. Following a complaint from the PCB, the ICC admitted to the ‘technical glitch’ and assured that the mistake would not be repeated.
The problems, however, began with the very opening ceremony of the tournament at Lahore Fort. The event was marked by delays and lack of coordination, which is uncharacteristic of an ICC-organized event.
The choice of music at the ceremony also sparked criticism, as it failed to represent Pakistan’s rich musical heritage, instead appearing to serve the branding interests of an ICC sponsor.
Adding to the series of missteps, Atif Aslam, who was slated to perform the official event song of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, did not appear due to mismanagement.
The invitation had promised “a grand entertainment extravaganza curated by Coke Studio Pakistan, followed by the official event song performed by the mega-star Atif Aslam.” However, his absence disappointed fans and further highlighted organizational lapses.
With these recurring technical and management glitches, concerns are growing over the smooth execution of the remaining tournament. It is imperative for the ICC to take immediate corrective measures to ensure that the Champions Trophy 2025 is remembered for its cricketing excellence rather than its organizational shortcomings.
