Champions Trophy – PCB asks ICC for clarification over India anthem being played before Australia-England

The PCB has reached out to the ICC for clarification after the Indian national anthem was erroneously played for a moment at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB is unhappy with the error, which it has blamed the ICC for. A PCB official told ESPNcricinfo that as this is an ICC tournament, the anthem playlist has been produced and distributed by the ICC, with the ICC in charge of playing the anthems before the matches. The PCB also questioned the presence of the Indian anthem in the playlist in the first place, given India are not playing any of their matches in Pakistan but in Dubai. The ICC believes the error was a technical one but is investigating the matter with the third-party supplier.

This was a departure from the broadcast graphics for the other matches of the tournament so far, including the tournament opener between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi where the event name as well as ‘Pakistan’ was visible on the broadcast.

The ICC put that down to a technical glitch, though it was an explanation that didn’t satisfy the PCB. The ICC gave assurances that such a thing would not be repeated, regardless of where the games were being held. That means the feed for Sunday’s game between India and Pakistan in Dubai – the most high-profile contest of the tournament – will include Pakistan’s name on the official on-screen logo.

The game between Australia and England drew the biggest crowd of the tournament so far, and was the most dramatic, as Australia chased down a record 351 to beat England by five wickets with 15 balls to spare.