India’s dream run to the Champions Trophy semifinal has sparked controversy, with rivals and experts crying foul over what they call an “undeniable advantage.” Critics claim Rohit Sharma’s men have it easy by playing all their matches in Dubai while other teams are forced to travel between two countries.

The complaints were led by England legends Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton, along with current stars like Jos Buttler and Rassie van der Dussen, who believe India had a smoother ride to the knockout stages.

But ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly wasn’t having any of it! In a fiery response, he shut down the critics, saying: “The pitches in Pakistan are much better. India would’ve scored more runs there!”

And he’s got a point. The numbers back him up — teams playing in Pakistan have averaged 34.96 runs per wicket, with eight centuries and multiple 300+ scores. In Dubai, however, teams have averaged just 28, with only three centuries so far.

India’s presence in Dubai was due to the BCCI’s hybrid model after the Indian government refused to allow the team to travel to Pakistan over political and security concerns.

But with the semifinal looming, the question remains: Can India silence their critics and lift the trophy?

(Source: HT)