There’s been a lot of talk from all quarters about how the ICC favoured India by granting them just one venue for Champions Trophy 2025 when the remaining participating teams are shuffling across different cities (in Pakistan and even Dubai) for their league matches, with former England captain-turned-broadcasters Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton voicing for the same. Ex-Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly appropriately replied to all those questioning.

Advertisment

From Australia captain Pat Cummins, the English commentators, the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi to ace Protean batter Rassie van der Dussen, everyone pointed out how India is enjoying the advantage of playing at the same venue, even the semis and the finale (should they qualify). 

Also read | Can India beat Australia in Champions Trophy semis? Ex-captains have their say

After ICC allotted Pakistan the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy 2025, the BCCI denied sending its team across the border for the eight-team tournament for security reasons, later persuading the apex body to convince the PCB to accept the hybrid model. Though the host denied doing it in the first go, they later agreed by putting conditions that the BCCI also had to accept to ensure the tournament went ahead.

Advertisment

As a result, the ICC and the PCB picked Dubai as the venue for all India matches, and every team in Group A, including the host Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand, had to travel to the UAE to play the Men in Blue. India has won all its group games, with a 44-run win over the Kiwis on Sunday being their latest. 

Meanwhile, all (remaining) seven participants in Groups A and B played their group games in Pakistan across three cities (Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi), playing in different conditions and venues.

Ganguly’s reply to Nasser, Atherton

Advertisment

While the par score in Pakistan (in this competition) is way higher than it is in Dubai, with at least eight hundreds and 17 fifties scored across all league matches compared to just three centuries in Dubai, Ganguly said had India played in Pakistan, they would have scored much more, winning convincingly. 

"The pitches in Pakistan are much better. India would've scored more runs there,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of a CAB event.

Even against New Zealand in India’s last league match, the Men in Blue scored 249 – the highest in three contested matches at the venue thus far.

Meanwhile, India will face Australia in Dubai on Tuesday (Mar 4) in the first semi-final, whereas, New Zealand will take on the Proteas in the second game the next day in Lahore. 

(With inputs from agencies)