DUBAI: India pace spearhead Mohammed Shami has broken ranks by admitting that playing all their ICC Champions Trophy games at one venue in Dubai has been to their advantage.

Shami returned figures of 3-48 to set up India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dubai.

India coach Gautam Gambhir afterwards las­hed out at critics who have said playing at the same Dubai International Sta­dium each time is unfair.

India refused to travel to Champions Trophy hosts Pakistan over political tensions and have won all four of their games at their temporary home. Rohit Sharma-led India will play Sunday’s final, again in Dubai.

The other seven teams in the ODI competition have meanwhile had to shuttle between three Pakistani cities and the United Arab Emirates.

“It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch,” Shami said Tuesday after his pivotal role in beating Australia.

“It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue.”

As part of the hybrid arrangement of the tournament, South Africa were forced to travel to Dubai, only to return to Pakistan again less than 24 hours later without playing a game.

India are unbeaten in the 10 ODIs they have played in Dubai, winning nine.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2025