India Gains Advantage by Playing in Dubai, Unfair With Others?

India, unbeaten in the Champions Trophy 2025, has played all its matches in Dubai due to political tensions with Pakistan. This decision has given them a major advantage. Staying in one location has helped the team avoid travel fatigue and maintain peak fitness.

Familiarity with the Dubai pitches has allowed India to fine-tune their strategies. Their batsmen have adapted to the conditions, and bowlers have learned how to exploit the surface effectively. Playing in consistent weather has also helped the team prepare better than their opponents.

Is This Unfair to Other Teams?

Many cricket experts believe this situation puts other teams at a disadvantage. While India plays all its matches in the same conditions, other teams must travel and adjust to different pitches and weather. Travel fatigue and changing conditions make it harder for them to maintain consistency.

However, some argue that all teams knew about the arrangement before the tournament began. They had time to prepare for the challenges. Regardless, India’s advantage in Dubai remains a major talking point as the tournament heads into the semi-finals.

Also, even if Team India travelled to Pakistan, all of their matches were decided to be played in a single venue, the same as now. So, instead of making excuses, the teams should be playing a good competition.