Former England cricketer and renowned commentator David Lloyd has strongly criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the scheduling of the Champions Trophy 2025, calling the arrangements "embarrassing" and "laughable." His comments come after India played all their matches in Dubai, refusing to travel to Pakistan, the official host nation of the tournament.Lloyd’s frustration mirrors the growing criticism from cricket analysts and fans who believe that India had an unfair advantage by knowing their semifinal date well in advance, while teams like South Africa and Australia had to adjust their travel schedules at the last minute.
 

David Lloyd Calls Out ICC’s "Farcical" Arrangements

A video of Lloyd’s criticism has gone viral on social media, where he ridiculed the tournament’s scheduling and its impact on competing teams."It's really embarrassing that this is one of the highest, most important events in world cricket, and the arrangements of playing are farcical,” Lloyd said.

He further expressed disbelief over the situation, stating:

"It's laughable, that you have to do that. I mean, words fail me." Lloyd did not hold back in his assessment, pointing out how unfair the logistics have been for teams besides India."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." Known for his humor, Lloyd added, "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."
 

Scheduling Controversy: Unfair Advantage for India?

India’s decision to boycott matches in Pakistan forced the ICC to schedule all of India’s games in Dubai, while other teams had to shuffle between multiple venues. This allowed India to have a fixed semifinal schedule, whereas other teams had to adjust their travel and preparation at short notice.Critics argue that such a structure compromises the fairness of the tournament and gives India an undue edge, particularly in a competition as high-stakes as the Champions Trophy.Despite the controversy, India has secured a place in the Champions Trophy final, where they will face New Zealand in a rematch.
 

New Zealand’s Dominant Win Over South Africa Sets Up India Clash

Meanwhile, New Zealand secured their spot in the final after a 50-run victory over South Africa in the semifinal in Lahore.

Key performances included:

• Rachin Ravindra scoring 108 off 101 balls
• Kane Williamson delivering a 102 off 94 balls
• New Zealand posting a Champions Trophy record total of 362-6
• South Africa finishing at 312-9, despite David Miller’s unbeaten 100 off 67 balls

South Africa's defeat marked their fifth Champions Trophy semifinal loss after similar exits in 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2013, reinforcing their unfortunate history in ICC knockout matches.
 

ICC Faces Pressure to Address Scheduling Issues

With mounting criticism over biased scheduling, the ICC may have to re-evaluate how it handles venue allocations in future tournaments, especially when political tensions impact host country selections.As India and New Zealand prepare for the final, the debate over whether the Champions Trophy 2025 has been a fair competition continues to divide the cricketing world.