--- title: "India turn Champions Trophy into home tournament despite being hosted in Pakistan" description: "India haven’t travelled at all in the Champions Trophy while SA faced three flights in three days amid preparations for their respective semifinals." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "CRICKET" author: "Keanan Hemmonsbey" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/keanan-hemmonsbey/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-03-india-turn-champions-trophy-into-home-tournament-despite-being-hosted-in-pakistan/" published: "2025-03-03T23:17:39" updated: "2025-03-03T23:17:43" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 758 --- # India turn Champions Trophy into home tournament despite being hosted in Pakistan > India haven’t travelled at all in the Champions Trophy while SA faced three flights in three days amid preparations for their respective semifinals. By Keanan Hemmonsbey · Published 4 March 2025, 01:17 SAST · Updated 4 March 2025, 01:17 SAST ## Key points - Heinrich Klaasen accidentally dubbed Dubai as India, highlighting how the subcontinent's cricketing clout has turned the Middle East into a makeshift home ground for the Men in Blue, while South Africa encounter travel chaos ahead of their semifinal showdown. - Heinrich Klaasen's slip-up calling Dubai "India" highlights the unique travel challenges faced by South Africa during the Champions Trophy. - The tournament, hosted in Pakistan for the first time in 28 years, sees India benefiting from playing all matches in Dubai, creating a quasi-home advantage. - Financial clout from India shapes ICC decisions, with Pakistan hosting only one match before traveling for subsequent games. - Proteas players acknowledge the disadvantage of constant travel while India enjoys stability, raising the stakes for their semifinal clash. ## Content When Heinrich Klaasen was asked about South Africa’s travel schedule for the semifinal – which included flying from Pakistan to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, spending 18 hours there and then flying back to Pakistan – he accidentally called Dubai India before quickly correcting himself. It was an honest slip-up, but India have played all their Champions Trophy matches at the Dubai International Stadium while every other side either plays in Pakistan or travels to Dubai to take on India. It does make the Middle Eastern country as close to a home ground as possible for India. South Africa played their final Champions Trophy group stage match on Saturday, comfortably defeating England by seven wickets, to head into the knockout stage top of Group B and undefeated. Yet, they didn’t know where or when their semifinal match would take place as the venues and times were not predetermined by who finished in what place on the standings. ![Virat Kohli of India play a shot during the CC Champions Trophy 2025 match between New Zealand and India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 2 March 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav / MB Media / Getty Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/1IU1eq4kTPCOTjeC2778tv42UaI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2202173157.jpg) *Virat Kohli of India plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 2 March in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav / MB Media / Getty Images)* Instead, it was determined by where India finished in their group — and that depended on the result of the final group stage match in Group A between New Zealand and India. As a result, South Africa and Australia – who progressed as the second qualifier from Group B – both travelled to Dubai in case they had to face India. #### **Political turmoil** The Champions Trophy is the first International Cricket Council (ICC) event held in Pakistan for 28 years, largely due to safety concerns stemming from a 2009 attack on a Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. The politically unstable relationship between geographical neighbours India and Pakistan has also played a role in the bar on Pakistan hosting matches between the two sides. A few months before the Champions Trophy tournament, the Indian government barred the country’s cricket team from playing in Pakistan. An important factor is that global cricket is as good as unsustainable without the Indian market. The sale of broadcast rights worth millions of dollars would not be possible without India’s keen interest in the sport. For example, when India travels to South Africa, Cricket South Africa pockets about R150-million a match through the sale of broadcast rights. Even month-long tours from other countries don’t match up to that figure. Not having India participate in the Champions Trophy wasn’t a consideration for the ICC. It arranged for all India’s matches to take place in Dubai, including the semifinal and final, if they make it to the tournament climax. The financial power India has over ICC means it’s a case of the tail wagging the dog. ![Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between Pakistan and India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 23 February in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Ryan Lim / Getty Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/xG1ABeIvtEtq1hzxxDzLa9qFVmo=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2201451035.jpg) *Batter Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan in action during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match against India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 23 February. (Photo: Ryan Lim / Getty Images)* After waiting 28 years for an ICC tournament to be hosted in their country, Pakistan played only one match in front of their home crowd – the opening match of the tournament which they lost to New Zealand. In their second match, they travelled to Dubai to take on India before their third and final group stage match against Bangladesh was rained out. #### **Advantage** India have been given a massive boost by never having to travel away for matches while South Africa have been forced to catch three flights in the space of three days before their semifinal against New Zealand on Wednesday. “It’s definitely an advantage,” said Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen. India claimed three wins from three in the group stage. “If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage. “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage. “In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign, but they \[India\] are going to be used to it. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.” “Home side” India and perennial tournament winners Australia clash on Tuesday, with both teams in search of their third Champions Trophy winners’ medal. **DM**