ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Ex-Pakistan cricketers reveal 'unfair advantage' given to India by ICC

Former Pakistan National Cricket Team player Salim Altaf expressed his disappointment with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being played in the hybrid model. He said that India is the only team who knows where they will be playing their knockout games while others have no idea.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 recently got a nod ahead to be played in the hybrid model. As per that, all the games of the India National Cricket Team, along with one semi-final and final if they reach, will be played in Dubai, while the rest of the games will be played in Pakistan across three venues.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played from 19th February, final to take place on 9th March

This all happened after the BCCI denied sending the India team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This involved Pakistan as well as India in a massive tussle, but ultimately, it was the hybrid model that was accepted and agreed upon by all the participants for the tournament.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played from 19th February, and the final is scheduled to take place on 9th March. It will be for the first time since 2017 that the tournament will be played and will see 8 teams fighting for the silverware.

"India is the only team that knows where it will play the semi-finals and the final - Salim Altaf unhappy with hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Former Pakistan bowler Salim Altaf, however, isn't happy with the way ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played. He talked about the advantage that the India National Cricket Team will have and while speaking to the Dawn, he explained:

"India is the only team that knows where it will play the semi-finals and the final, while the other teams will only know that once the group stage is completed."

It will avoid the logistics of travel besides getting similar kinds of pitches and cricketing environments at one venue - Intikhab Alam on India playing in Dubai

Former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam, who was part of the same discussion, agreed with Salim Altaf. He stressed that like other teams India National Cricket Team won't be travelling like other teams and will be getting similar kinds of pitches and cricketing environment, which will be unfair to other teams. He added:

"Like other teams, India will not go from venue to venue. It will avoid the logistics of travel besides getting similar kinds of pitches and cricketing environments at one venue. It is not fair to the other teams. It’s surprising for me that the other cricket boards did not raise any objection"

India National Cricket Team are placed in Group A and all the other teams will have to travel to Dubai to play India. They will play their first match against Bangladesh on February 20. Following that they will be taking on Pakistan on February 23 at Dubai. Their final league fixture will be against New Zealand on March 2.

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