After Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Another Ex-England Star Slams India's CT 2025 Schedule As 'Farcical, Laughable'
Photo : AP
India have had a perfect tournament at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 so far. They have won all their games and have qualified for the final of the tournament where they will face off against New Zealand. The Men in Blue have played all their matches in Dubai, while the rest of the tournament have been played across three venues in Pakistan. This arrangement has not sat well with some experts and ex-players. Former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton were some of the first people to call out India's supposed 'Dubai advantage'. Another ex-England player, David Lloyd, has indirectly slammed India's Champions Trophy 2025 scheduling.
Before the final group game between India and New Zealand on March 2 (Sunday), the two qualified teams from Group B i.e. Australia and South Africa had to travel to Dubai to see who wins and stays back to face India in Dubai in the first semi-final. The other team had to travel back to Lahore to play the second semi-final.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, David Lloyd has called these 'arrangements of playing' completely 'farcical and laughable.' He also said that such scheduling is also taxing for the players involved.
It’s really embarrassing that this is one of the highest, most important events in world cricket, and the arrangements of playing are farcical. It’s laughable, that you have to do that. I mean, words fail me," Lloyd said.
“It is just nonsense. I really don’t know how else to describe it, this is a world event. You have teams who go from here to there, you might play here, you might not, you might have to go back. I’m quite a humorous guy and I think that’s quite funny actually, but it’s not so funny if I’m one of the players,” the former England star added.
England Out After Going Winless In Group Stage
Speaking about David Lloyd's ex-team, England had a horrific campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025. They were knocked out of the Group stage, after three back-to-back losses against Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa. They finished at the bottom without a single point on the board.
After this disastrous campaign, Jos Buttler resigned as the white-ball captain of the England team.
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