LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC) after India’s national anthem was mistakenly played ahead of the Australia-England match at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
According to sources, the PCB has sought an explanation from the ICC regarding the incident.
During the pre-match ceremony, a few seconds of the Indian anthem were played before Australia’s anthem, triggering criticism.
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Indian media gave extraordinary coverage to the blunder, claiming that the part “Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaata” of the anthem was played at Gaddafi Stadium.
Sources say the ICC had prepared the playlist for the Champions Trophy, and despite India’s absence from the tournament in Pakistan, its anthem was included in the list.
The PCB clarified that anthem arrangements for matches are the ICC’s responsibility, not the board’s.
The PCB has formally contacted the ICC, demanding a public explanation for the mishap.
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This incident follows another controversy during the Champions Trophy when the Pakistan-hosted tournament’s logo was displayed without Pakistan’s name during the live coverage of the India-Bangladesh match in Dubai on Thursday.
The ICC later acknowledged the mistake.
Typically, the host nation’s name is featured alongside the event’s logo during ICC tournament broadcasts. However, while the Champions Trophy logo included Pakistan’s name during the opening match in Karachi, it was missing in the Dubai broadcast.
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The PCB has urged the ICC to address these errors, stressing that the governing body must ensure accuracy and neutrality in tournament execution.