The fourth match of the Champions Trophy 2025 between Australia and England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore got off to a notable start, but not for the reasons you’d expect. After the Australian captain won the toss and invited England to bat first, things took an awkward turn. As the teams took to the field for their national anthems, a significant mistake was made – one that’s since sparked a frenzy on social media.
The organizers of the match mistakenly played the national anthem of India, just before the introduction of Australia’s national anthem. The brief moment of confusion was palpable, with players from both teams exchanging puzzled glances. It wasn’t long before a video of the incident went viral, leaving Pakistan to face the backlash on social media. Fans were quick to poke fun at the mistake, and it’s safe to say that it’s not the kind of attention the hosts were looking for.
To break it down, the national anthem of England was played first, followed by an unexpected twist. Just as everyone expected the Australian national anthem to play, the opening notes of ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata…’ filled the air. The Indian national anthem was swiftly cut off, and the Australian national anthem was played, but the damage was already done. The atmosphere, which had been electric in anticipation of the match, was momentarily disrupted by the gaffe.
Moving on to the match itself, England found themselves in a bit of a tricky spot, having lost two wickets in the powerplay. At the time of writing, seven overs had been completed, with the English team struggling at 55 runs. Ben Docket and Joe Root were at the crease, looking to turn things around with a big partnership. The pressure was on, and all eyes were on these two batsmen to salvage the situation and steer their team towards a respectable total.
As the match unfolded, one thing was certain – this Champions Trophy was already living up to its promise of excitement and unpredictability. And while the mistake with the national anthems would undoubtedly be remembered, it was back to the action on the field that truly mattered. Would England manage to recover from their early setbacks, or would Australia capitalize on the momentum? Only time would tell.