Pakistan Cricket Board blasts ICC for India National Anthem goof-up during AUS vs ENG; demands explanation

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken the issue seriously regarding the unexpected playing of the Indian national anthem during the match between England and Australia. Notably, the Pakistan Cricket Board has sent a formal letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) seeking an explanation.

In an unexpected blunder, the DJ at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore mistakenly played the Indian national anthem during the national anthem ceremony of the match on Saturday, February 22. As per tradition, both national cricket teams lined up for their respective anthems before the start of the fourth match.

Indian National Anthem Played Ahead of AUS vs ENG 2025 Clash

A portion of the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, was played during the national anthem ceremony. The mix-up lasted for about two seconds before officials recognized the error and stopped the playback. The unexpected blunder caused confusion among players and the crowd with a loud roar.

The Australia team, led by Steve Smith, secured a five-wicket victory during the recent match. They successfully chased a target of 352 runs to open their tally in the points table. Josh Inglis scored 120 runs off 86 deliveries, including eight boundaries and six maximums, and earned 'Player of the Match.'

Watch the video below:

In the match between England and Australia at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, when Australia's national anthem was to be played, India's national anthem was played instead .
I love india 😍#ChampionsTrophy2025 #ENGvsAUS #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/LZvttKXYCX

— Bethi Majumdar (@BethiMajum93943) February 23, 2025

Pakistan Cricket Board Blames ICC After Indian National Anthem Plays in Lahore

According to the latest reports, the PCB has lodged a complaint regarding the accidental playing of the Indian national anthem. The PCB emphasized that the ICC is responsible for managing the national anthem playlist for teams in the tournament.

"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," the source said, as quoted by The Hindu.

The PCB had earlier raised concerns with the ICC about its name and logo being absent from television screens during India's match against Bangladesh in Dubai. In response, the ICC acknowledged the error and assured the PCB that all future matches in Dubai would correctly display Pakistan's name.

India Opted Not to Travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

It’s worth mentioning that India opted not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, citing security concerns. The event is being held under a hybrid model, with India playing all their matches in Dubai. IND vs PAK highly anticipated clash between the two teams will be played on Sunday, February 23.

The Rohit Sharma-led team began their campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh. They will be eager to take revenge for a crushing 180-run defeat to Pakistan in the 2017 final in London. The two teams last played an ODI match in the World Cup 2023, where the Men in Blue secured a win.

Also read: Rahul Dravid makes competitive cricket comeback ahead of IPL 2025