Ex-Pakistan bowler Junaid Khan has fueled the controversy surrounding the schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy by subtly alleging the Indian team and BCCI with obtaining an unjustified advantage. The comments came shortly before Sunday’s much-expected final at the Dubai International Stadium between New Zealand and India.
Junaid Khan Takes Savage Dig On India
Stepping onto social media, Junaid brought to attention the stark contrasts in travel distances undertaken by the competing teams—India, New Zealand, and South Africa. He noted that South Africa, whose campaign in the tournament ended in the semifinals, had to undergo 3,286 kilometers of traveling, including an eleventh-hour journey to Dubai and return to Pakistan within a span of less than 12 hours owing to uncertainty regarding their fixture. At the same time, New Zealand, who had competed in all four stadiums, recorded an eye-watering 7,150 kilometers of journey. India, on the other hand, traveled none at all, with all their matches being played in Dubai, sparking speculations about possible favoritism in scheduling the tournament.
Distance traveled between matches in Champions Trophy 2025:
• New Zealand: 7,150 KM ✈️
• South Africa: 3,286 KM ✈️
• India: 0 KM 🏡
Some teams win by skill, some win by scheduling… #indvsnzfinal #indvsnz #ChampionsTrophy2025 #ChampionsTrophy---Advertisement---— Junaid khan (@JunaidkhanREAL) March 8, 2025
“Distance travelled between matches in Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand: 7,150 KM, South Africa: 3,286 KM, India: 0 KM. Some teams win by skill, some win by scheduling…,” he tweeted.
Users React To Junaid Khan’s Post On X
Pakistan lost when distance was: 3286 KM ✈️
— rae (@ChillamChilli) March 8, 2025
Pakistan lost when distance was: 0 KM ✈️
If we are considering such kinds of (unusual) aspects, then Pakistan would have reached this #ChampionsTrophyFinal as they were/are the host (on paper). But, your country team has failed miserably in this #ChampionsTrophy2025 as well as before. Instead of focusing on #indvsnz,…
— RAJESH🧑🏻💻 (@iamrajeshjena) March 8, 2025
@AskPerplexity why pakistan played only one match in pakistan trophy even though they are hosts of champions trophy?
— Rohan Raj (@Rohanraj1681) March 8, 2025
Following Junaid Khan’s post on X (formerly Twitter), the users fumed over his claim and immediately reacted questioning if distance would’ve been the case then why didn’t Pakistan win a single match. Pakistan could not get a single win despite being the host nation and faced thrashing defeat against New Zealand and India.
While India has reached the Champions Trophy final and will be playing against New Zealand on March 9, Sunday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, UAE.
