Fantasy Cricket

South African Star Blasts ‘Unfair’ India Advantage in Champions Trophy

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South African batter Rassie van der Dussen believes that India has an advantage in the 2025 Champions Trophy by playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. He stated that Rohit Sharma and his team are under pressure to make this edge count in the tournament.

India’s Dubai Advantage

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to travel to the official host, Pakistan, due to security concerns. After long discussions, a hybrid model was agreed upon, with India playing all their matches in Dubai.

India has already defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan at the same venue and will play their semi-final and potentially the final there. Van der Dussen pointed out that playing at one venue gives India a clear benefit.

“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,” Van der Dussen told Cricbuzz.

He also added that this familiarity could put additional pressure on India.

“The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.”

South Africa’s Challenging Schedule

Unlike India, other teams have been traveling across Pakistan. South Africa played Afghanistan in Karachi before heading to Rawalpindi for their match against Australia, which was washed out. Now, they are back in Karachi for their next game against England.

Van der Dussen admitted that the constant travel and long breaks between matches have made the tournament feel unusual.

“It’s a strange situation. It feels like everyone else is playing, but we’re not. We have so many training sessions.”

Despite the challenges, South Africa is in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals from Group B. If India tops Group A and South Africa finishes second in Group B (or vice-versa), the two teams could meet in the semi-final in Dubai—where India would once again enjoy home-like conditions.

Story First Published at www.probatsman.com on 27 February 2025

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