PCB Demands ICC Explanation After Indian National Anthem Mistakenly Played Before AUS vs ENG Match

PCB Demands ICC Explanation: Due to the playing of the Indian national anthem mistakenly for a while in the Gaddafi Stadium at Lahore, PCB approached ICC for clarification.

The UK national anthem was played earlier before the game witnessed no other problems before it was followed by an airing of Australia's national anthem, which was said to be interrupted by a recording of India's national anthem blaring out before being hastily curtailed.

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ESPNcricinfo learns that this has caused PCB dissatisfaction with what it terms as an ICC blame. According to a PCB official, since it is an ICC tournament, the playlist containing the anthems compiled and distributed has been done and the ICC is responsible for playing the anthems ahead of all matches. The PCB also wanted to know why that anthem was in the playlist in the first place, given that India is not playing any of their matches in Pakistan but in Dubai. As per the ICC, this was a technical error, and inquiry is being done with a third-party supplier on the matter.

This has repeated in two successive days wherein the PCB has to seek an explanation from the ICC for what it considers to be insults to Pakistan as official hosts of the Champions Trophy. A case in point would be the second match in this tournament held in Dubai when India played Bangladesh. On that occurrence, the logo in the official telecast would miss the reference to Pakistan.

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Unlike other matches in the tournament so far, including the opening match in Karachi, where the name of the event and 'Pakistan' was visible on the broadcast, the New Zealand vs. Pakistan match opened the tournament.

The ICC brushed that under the rug by attributing the same to a technical glitch, a justification that held no water with the PCB. These assurances were made by the ICC to ensure that such incidents would not be mentioned again, regardless of where the games were being held. That means the feed for Sunday's game between India and Pakistan in Dubai - the most high-profile contest of the tournament - will include Pakistan's name on the official on-screen logo.

The match which had the largest audience at the tournament so far was also the most dramatic by far as it saw Australia chase down a world record 351 to beat England by five wickets with 15 deliveries to spare.

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