The Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand has been marred by a controversy surrounding the tournament’s hybrid format. Concerns have been raised about whether the Indian team benefited unfairly from remaining in Dubai for the entirety of the event.
The issue gained further attention after former England cricketer and commentator David Lloyd expressed his displeasure, describing the travel arrangements as “farcical.”
“It’s really embarrassing that this is one of the most important events in world cricket, and the playing arrangements are laughable,” Lloyd remarked in a video posted on X. “You have teams flying here and there, unsure of where they’ll play next. It’s just nonsense. This is a world event, and it should be organized properly,” he added.
It’s not nice: David Miller on India’s Dubai advantage
South Africa’s David Miller expressed similar concerns following his team’s 50-run defeat to New Zealand in the second semifinal, attributing their struggles in part to the demanding travel schedule they had to endure. “It’s only an hour and 40-minute flight (from Karachi to Dubai), but the fact that we had to do that was not ideal,” Miller admitted.
“It’s early morning, it’s after a game, and we had to fly. Then we got to Dubai at 4:00 pm, and by 7:30 am, we had to come back. It doesn’t make it nice.” he added.
Critics contend that the ICC’s decision to align with India’s refusal to play in Pakistan has undermined the fairness of the tournament. Although India has clearly been the standout team in the competition, their ability to remain in Dubai throughout the event, while other teams faced demanding travel schedules, has intensified allegations of preferential treatment.
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