Pat Cummins objects to ICC for giving India venue advantage

Australian captain Pat Cummins raised concerns over an unfair advantage for the Indian cricket team, which is playing all its ICC Champions Trophy matches in Dubai.

Cummins criticided the International Cricket Council (ICC) for its decision, suggesting that India benefits significantly from playing at the same venue throughout the tournament.

"II think it's good that the tournament can go on, but obviously it does give them (India) a huge advantage playing on the same ground. They already look very strong and they've got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there," the Australian skipper remarked.

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Pat Cummins is currently sidelined due to injury, with Steve Smith leading the Australian squad in his absence.

The Board of Control fo Cricket in India (BCCI) sparked controversy by refusing to send its team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, citing security concerns, an issue that no other foreign team raised.

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Instead, the BCCI urged the ICC to shift both pre-tournament events and India's matches to the UAE, allowing India to play all its group-stage games in Dubai while other teams must travel to Dubai for matches against them.

India will also play the first semi-final of the tournament in Dubai, while the rest of the teams are playing their matches in various Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

Pakistan was eliminated from the tournament after a crushing defeat to India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.