PCB seeks ICC’s clarification after Indian anthem played at Gaddafi Stadium

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for an explanation after the Indian national anthem was mistakenly played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash between Australia and England, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The bizarre mix-up occurred on Saturday when the UK’s national anthem played without issue before England’s innings.

However, instead of following it up with Australia’s anthem, a snippet of the Indian national anthem rang out at Gaddafi Stadium before being swiftly stopped and corrected. Though the error lasted only a second, it was enough for the video to go viral on social media.

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According to reports, the PCB is unhappy with the incident and has placed the blame on the ICC, which was responsible for preparing and distributing the official anthem playlist for the tournament.

A PCB official, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, questioned why India’s anthem was even included in the playlist, given that the Indian team is not playing any matches in Pakistan under the hybrid model.

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This marks the second time in just a few days that the PCB has sought an explanation from the ICC regarding incidents that it believes have undermined Pakistan’s status as the official tournament host.

Earlier, during India’s opening match against Bangladesh in Dubai, the official broadcast graphics omitted Pakistan’s name from the event logo—a stark departure from how the tournament branding appeared in other matches.

READ: ‘Pakistan must be at their ‘absolute best’ to beat India’