The error left the Australian players and spectators stunned before the organisers promptly realized the mistake and halted the anthem.
Indian Anthem Played in Lahore Before Australia vs England in Organisers' Blunder latest news: Lahore, February 22, 2025: In a shocking moment, the Indian national anthem was inadvertently played before the Champions Trophy game between Australia and England at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
The error left the Australian players and spectators stunned before the organisers promptly realized the mistake and halted the anthem. Order was restored when "Advance Australia Fair" was finally played at the iconic ground, which has recently received a facelift for the Champions Trophy.
The incident took place just prior to the commencement of the much-awaited match between England and Australia. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) event tradition, the national anthems of the two teams contesting the match are played following the toss ceremony. Instead of the Australian national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," the Indian national anthem was played, leaving everyone present there confused.
India National Anthem played in Pakistan ... 🇮🇳🇮🇳 #INDvsPAK #AusvsEng #EngVsAus pic.twitter.com/ruoP4rDx0n
— Bunty Singh (@Bunty_Singh__) February 22, 2025Advertisement
The error left the Australian players and spectators stunned before the organisers promptly realized the mistake and halted the anthem.
Immediate Reaction
The Australian players and the spectators at the Gaddafi Stadium were caught off guard. The organisers soon realised the mistake and stopped playing the Indian national anthem. The proper anthem, "Advance Australia Fair," was subsequently played, restoring order and enabling the match to go on as scheduled.
Context and Controversy
The error of the organisers was especially unusual considering that India is not supposed to play any of their Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. The political tensions led India to refuse to go to Pakistan for the eight-nation tournament, which prompted the introduction of a hybrid model. As a consequence, India will play all their games in Dubai.
This is not the first time the ICC has been criticized for organisational errors during the Champions Trophy. Even before the tournament started, there were doubts raised over why the Indian flag was not raised at Karachi's National Stadium when the flags of all other participating teams were installed. Also, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had complained about the exclusion of "Pakistan" from the Champions Trophy broadcast band when India played Bangladesh.
The Match
In spite of the initial uncertainty, the Australia-England match went on as usual. Australia won the toss and decided to field first. England's opening batsmen, Ben Duckett and Phil Salt, came onto the field, but the team suffered early blows with rapid dismissals.
The incident has also evoked a storm of comments on social media, with fans posting video clips of the moment and chuckling at the gaffe. The ICC and the PCB would hold each other accountable and make sure that such errors do not happen in future encounters.
As the Champions Trophy progresses, cricket lovers everywhere will be watching the rest of the games closely, anticipating a smoother and better-organized experience.
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