Islamabad, Mar 10, 2025: India secured the 2025 Champions Trophy title on Sunday in Dubai with a hard-fought four-wicket victory over New Zealand.
The triumph reinforced their dominance in white-ball cricket, following their T20 World Cup win last year, and provided some redemption for their World Cup final loss to Australia in Ahmedabad.
However, as jubilant Indian supporters celebrated in Dubai, the tournament’s structure raised concerns about fairness in global cricket.
The event, originally planned to be hosted entirely in Pakistan, saw India playing all their matches in Dubai due to political tensions between the two nations.
India’s decision not to travel to Pakistan, announced in December, put the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a difficult position.
With India contributing an estimated 80% of the ICC’s revenue, excluding them was not a viable option. Simultaneously, revoking Pakistan’s hosting rights was deemed impractical.
The compromise led to an unusual situation where India played in one city, while other teams endured extensive travel.
New Zealand covered over 7,000km during the tournament, whereas the closest India’s players got to a flight was Kuldeep Yadav’s celebration after dismissing Rachin Ravindra.
Discussions about India’s perceived advantage were met with contrasting responses, with Mohammed Shami acknowledging the benefits while coach Gautam Gambhir dismissed such claims.
The debate over India’s influence in global cricket continues, with past controversies, including pitch changes and match scheduling, raising questions about fairness in ICC tournaments.
