Indian anthem played in Lahore before Australia vs England in organisers' blunder

Champions Trophy 2025: The Indian national anthem was played by mistake before England and Australia met at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. India are not playing any of their games in Pakistan.

In Short

• The Indian national anthem was played for a couple of seconds in Lahore
• The organisers at the Gaddafi Stadium quickly realised the blunder
• Australia were facing England in their opener on Saturday

The Indian national anthem was mistakenly played in Lahore instead of the Australian national anthem ahead of the Champions Trophy match between Australia and England on Saturday, February 22. The Australian players and the crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium were taken by surprise before the organisers realised the blunder and stopped the Indian national anthem. Order was restored when Advance Australia Fair was eventually played at the iconic venue in Lahore, which has received a facelift for the Champions Trophy.

The organisers' blunder was bizarre as India are not scheduled to play any of their Champions Trophy games in Lahore. India refused to travel to Pakistan for the eight-team tournament following which a hybrid model was adopted. India will play all their matches in Dubai. Champions Trophy: Full Coverage | Points Table

Before every cricket match in events hosted by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the national anthems of the two competing teams are played. The ceremony takes place after the toss where the two teams have an opportunity to shake hands and warm up for the contest.

WATCH: NATIONAL ANTHEM BLUNDER IN LAHORE

This is not the first time the ICC has come under fire for organisational blunders during the Champions Trophy. Before the tournament began, questions arose over why the Indian flag was not hoisted at Karachi's National Stadium while the flags of all other competing teams were in place. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was questioned over the issue, prompting a clarification.

Meanwhile, the PCB was reportedly displeased by the omission of "Pakistan" from the Champions Trophy broadcast band during India's match against Bangladesh. While all other games featured the complete branding-"Champions Trophy 2025 Pakistan"-the India vs Bangladesh game only displayed "Champions Trophy 2025."

The PCB wrote to the ICC, demanding an explanation. In response, the global cricket body cited a technical glitch from the broadcaster's end, according to ESPNCricinfo. The report stated that the graphics for the live feed were prepared and provided by UK-based production company Sunset & Vine under the ICC's supervision.

The ICC assured Pakistan that such a glitch would not occur again in the upcoming matches. The England vs Australia game subsequently featured the full broadcast band, as seen in visuals from Indian broadcasters.

Even before the tournament began, the ICC faced scrutiny as the schedule announcement was delayed due to India's refusal to travel to Pakistan. Pakistan initially resisted the idea of a hybrid model, leading to further uncertainty. However, after Jay Shah took over as the ICC chief in December 2024, the issue was resolved, with all three parties-the BCCI, PCB, and ICC-agreeing to the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. The same model will also be used for upcoming ICC events in India, including the Women's ODI World Cup in 2025 and the Men's T20 World Cup in 2026.