The scheduling of the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in two totally different nations has meant each groups who qualify from Group B – more than likely Australia and South Africa – will journey to the UAE on Saturday.
An ICC official mentioned the choice had been taken to permit the facet that performs the semi-final in Dubai on March 4 the utmost time to organize for that contest. Nonetheless, it does assure one facet will discover themselves within the suboptimal place of leaving Pakistan for Dubai, solely to need to return to Pakistan the next day. Whereas the Lahore semi-final is at some point afterward March 5, the way in which wherein this event has been scheduled implies that one group will journey and practice at a venue they don’t must be at for a day.
Within the unlikely situation of Afghanistan qualifying as a substitute of South Africa, they, too, will depart for Dubai as quickly as doable.
The precise match-ups and venues of the 2 semi-finals will solely be confirmed after India and New Zealand play the ultimate group sport of this event on Sunday. India will play in Dubai no matter their group place, which implies the 2 groups of group B will discover out the place they play their semi-final solely after India have performed New Zealand.
Such a situation was all however inevitable given the need of India enjoying their video games exterior Pakistan, regardless of the nation formally being the only host of the event. The PCB spent a number of months making an attempt to get India to go to Pakistan, at one stage proposing internet hosting all their video games in Lahore. Nonetheless, the BCCI mentioned the Indian authorities didn’t grant the group permission to play cricket in Lahore. The ties between the 2 nations are strained.
The uncertainty regarding venues will lengthen proper to the ultimate as nicely. If India win their semi-final, the ultimate will happen in Dubai. Nonetheless, ought to they lose the semi-final, it’ll happen at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
