The two Group B qualifiers, Australia and South Africa, have a logistical problem as a result of the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final schedule that spans two nations. On Saturday, March 1, both teams must fly to the United Arab Emirates, regardless of the ultimate location.
According to an ICC official, the choice was taken in order to maximise the team’s preparation time for their March 4 match in Dubai. However, if their semifinal is scheduled for Lahore on March 5, it also creates a problematic situation where one team will depart Pakistan for Dubai and return the following day. There’s no doubt that one of the clubs will eventually make the pointless trip to a place where it won’t even play a game.
After their final group-stage match against Afghanistan washed out in Lahore on Friday, Australia has already advanced to the semi-finals.
The team is already travelling to Dubai. After their final game against England is over, South Africa, who are virtually guaranteed a spot in the semifinals, will fly from Karachi to Dubai on March 1.
Only after India plays New Zealand in the last group-stage match on Sunday, March 2, will the semi-final locations and pairings be finalised. India will play in Dubai regardless of their group standings, so the two Group B teams won’t know where they’ll play in the semi-finals until after their match against New Zealand.
India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan, the tournament’s official host, meant that a hybrid model was used instead. Given Lahore’s close proximity to the Indian border, the PCB and the ICC bargained for India to play all of their matches there. However, the BCCI cited government limitations that prevented them from doing so, citing the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
The current plan is for the match to be played in Dubai if India advances to the final, and in Lahore at Gaddafi Stadium if they lose.
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