In a surprising and embarrassing mix-up during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian national anthem was mistakenly played instead of Australia’s before their high-stakes Group B match against England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. (Match Blog | More Cricket News)
The unexpected blunder left the Australian players and fans in shock before officials quickly rectified the situation.
The pre-match national anthem ceremony is a standard protocol in ICC events, ensuring both competing teams have their anthems played before the game. However, just after England’s anthem, God Save The King, was played, Jana Gana Mana - India’s national anthem—began instead of Advance Australia Fair. The error was recognized within a couple of seconds, and the correct anthem was eventually played.
This mix-up was particularly surprising given that India is not playing any of its matches in Pakistan. Due to ongoing political tensions, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, leading to a hybrid model where all Indian matches are being hosted in Dubai. This unusual situation had already fueled controversies, and the anthem blunder added another unexpected chapter to the tournament.
The incident comes amid a series of minor controversies surrounding the Champions Trophy. Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a complaint with the ICC over the absence of Pakistan’s name from the tournament logo shown during live broadcasts.
The ICC acknowledged the mistake and assured that the full three-line logo, including Pakistan’s name, would be used in all future games held in Dubai.
Aside from the anthem controversy, Australia faced their own challenges heading into the match. Stand-in captain Steve Smith led the team in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins and key fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who were ruled out due to injuries and personal reasons. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis also shocked fans by announcing his retirement from ODIs.
In their place, Australia introduced fresh pace options in Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, and Spencer Johnson. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey was included in the playing XI despite Josh Inglis also being in the squad. Carey made an immediate impact, taking a stunning catch to dismiss Phil Salt early in England’s innings.
With India set to face arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on February 23, the spotlight on the tournament remains intense. As for the national anthem blunder, it remains to be seen whether the ICC will take any action or whether it will be written off as an unfortunate but harmless mistake.
