Before the Australia vs England Champions Trophy 2025 match at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on February 22 (Saturday), a bizarre mix-up saw India’s national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ mistakenly played instead of Australia’s ‘Advance Australia Fair.’ The incident was particularly awkward as India had declined to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions with Pakistan with Dubai being the venue to all their matches. Following the mishap, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blamed the ICC and sought an explanation for the blunder.


The mix-up prompted a loud cheer from spectators at Gaddafi Stadium before order was restored and Australia’s national anthem was played. The incident also sparked a buzz on social media, with cricket fans finding the blunder amusing at Pakistan’s expense.


Watch the video of the incident here:






PCB Seeks Clarification From ICC Over 'National Anthem' Fiasco


Notably, a PTI source close to the ICC stated that the PCB has demanded an explanation, emphasising that the ICC is responsible for managing the national anthem playlist for the Champions Trophy teams. Given that India is not playing in Pakistan, the PCB finds it puzzling how their anthem was mistakenly played.


"The PCB has made it clear that the ICC needs to offer some explanation as their people are responsible for the (national anthem) playlist of teams in the Champions Trophy. Since India is not playing in Pakistan, it is hard to understand how their anthem was played by mistake from the playlist," PTI quoted an ICC source as saying.


Pakistan In Troubled Waters After Loss To New Zealand


Coming to the Champions Trophy 2025, India are set to face off against arch-rivals Pakistan in at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on February 23 (Sunday). India and Pakistan enter their Champions Trophy 2025 clash with contrasting starts—India defeated Bangladesh, while Pakistan suffered a heavy loss to New Zealand. With their semifinal hopes at stake, Pakistan face a must-win situation against India, as another defeat would severely hurt their chances of progressing.