Australian captain Pat Cummins has raised concerns over the International Cricket Council (ICC) allegedly favoring India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Cummins, who opted out of the tournament due to an ankle injury and to be with his family for the birth of his second child, criticized the scheduling decisions, calling them an “unfair advantage” for India.
The controversy stems from India playing all their matches in Dubai, while other teams are required to travel across multiple venues in Pakistan. Originally, the ICC had planned for the entire tournament to be hosted in Pakistan, but due to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refusing to send its team there, a hybrid model was introduced. As a result, India’s matches, including their semifinal fixture, are being played exclusively in Dubai, raising concerns over preferential treatment.
Cummins pointed out that staying at a single venue gives India a significant edge over other competing teams, who have to adjust to varying pitch conditions and travel schedules. This has sparked debate within the cricketing community about the fairness of ICC’s scheduling decisions.
Meanwhile, Australia, led by stand-in captain Steve Smith, made a strong start to their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding win over England in Lahore. Chasing an imposing 352-run target, wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis played a stellar innings, smashing an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls to guide Australia to victory.
With discussions about India’s venue advantage gaining momentum, all eyes are on the ICC’s stance regarding fairness in scheduling for major international tournaments.