Synopsis
In a surprising incident during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the Indian anthem was played instead of Australia's before the match between Australia and England, causing a stir among fans. The mistake was quickly rectified, but it raised questions for the PCB and ICC regarding the oversight.Key Takeaways
- Mistaken Anthem: Indian national anthem played instead of Australia's.
- Immediate Correction: Error rectified swiftly after two seconds.
- Fan Reactions: Social media erupted with humorous takes on the blunder.
- Match Details: Australia chose to bowl first after winning the toss.
- Upcoming Challenges: Both teams must secure wins to reach semifinals.
Lahore, Feb 22 (NationPress) In a significant mishap before the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy clash between Australia and England at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, the Indian national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was mistakenly played instead of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ (Australia's national anthem).
As is customary in ICC events, the national anthems of both competing teams are performed prior to the start of each match. Following the rendition of England’s anthem, ‘God Save The King’, it was expected that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would follow.
However, to the astonishment of those present, the Indian national anthem was played briefly for two seconds before the error was corrected, and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ was subsequently played. This led to a significant reaction from cricket fans on social media, who found humor in this notable blunder.
The anthem incident before the Australia-England match is a matter that the host organization, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), along with the International Cricket Council (ICC), will need to address in the future, including the actions they will take against those responsible.
In terms of the match, Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bowl first against England in their initial Group B match of the eight-team tournament. Both teams entered Saturday’s game following ODI series losses in the subcontinent. While England faced a 3-0 defeat in India, Australia lost both of its ODIs in Colombo to Sri Lanka, a team not participating in the current Champions Trophy.
Both England and Australia require at least two victories from their Group B matches, which also include South Africa and Afghanistan, to advance to the semifinals of the Champions Trophy. The last encounter between the two sides in ODIs took place last year in England, where Australia claimed the series 3-2.
