Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins has accused the ICC of favouring India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI denied sending its team to Pakistan for the eight-team tournament due to security concerns, forcing the ICC and the host board PCB to seek and choose alternatives, the hybrid model in this case. The PCB denied accepting it in the first place but later accepted it after several discussions. Dubai was finalised as India’s venue for the Champions Trophy.

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While the remaining seven teams, including Pakistan, are scheduled to travel between three cities—Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi (CT venues in the country), India would play all its matches in Dubai, including the semis and the final, should they qualify. 

Also read | Pakistan Cricket’s brand value to take a hit after failed Champions Trophy run – Report

Placed in Group A, along with the hosts, Bangladesh and New Zealand, India played two games thus far, against Bangladesh and Pakistan, winning both. While Pakistan lost the curtain raiser to New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi, they flew to the Gulf to face India in the marquee clash.

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While the remaining teams are travelling, adjusting to the new playing conditions and training at different venues for their respective league matches, it’s different for India as they are staying in one hotel, training at one ground, and playing their matches at a single venue, something Cummins feels falls into their advantage.

“I think it's good that the tournament can go on, but, obviously, it does give them (India) a huge advantage playing on the same ground. They already look very strong, and they've got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there,” Cummins said while chatting with Yahoo Sports Australia, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

India on top!

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The Men in Blue won their tournament opener against Bangladesh by six wickets, with opener Shubman Gill and seamer Mohammed Shami making headlines for star performances. 

Against Pakistan in their next and perhaps the most crucial clash of the tournament, India made light work of their arch-rivals by first restricting them to 241 in the first innings before chasing the target with five wickets remaining. 

For the Men in Blue, ace batter Virat Kohli returned to form at the right time, scoring his 51st ODI hundred—the most by any batter in history—while also completing his 14,000 runs in the format in 287 innings— the quickest among all three batters to reach this mark. 

Meanwhile, after New Zealand crushed Bangladesh by five wickets in Rawalpindi on Monday (Feb 24), they qualified for the semis, and so did India, with the hosts and the defending champions Pakistan getting eliminated just six days into the tournament. 

(With inputs from agencies)