South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen expressed no complaints regarding the team’s brief 18-hour trip to Dubai during the Champions Trophy. Initially, there was a possibility that South Africa’s semifinal match against India would be held in Dubai. To prepare for this, and after playing a match in Karachi, the South African team flew to Dubai. However, India’s victory against New Zealand meant South Africa’s semifinal was set for Lahore against New Zealand, requiring them to return to Pakistan. Australia also had a similar short trip to Dubai.
Klaasen acknowledged the quick turnaround wasn’t ideal physically, but appreciated the chance to briefly relax outside of hotel confinement after spending weeks in Pakistan due to security measures. He pointed out that while their Dubai trip was short, it provided a break, and both semifinal teams in Lahore faced travel after their previous games. Klaasen believes their team might be fresher than New Zealand due to this brief respite.
The Dubai trips were necessitated because India, due to security concerns and political reasons, is based in Dubai for the tournament. This arrangement, influenced by the BCCI’s financial power, meant Group A was structured around India playing in Dubai. This situation has been viewed by some as giving India an advantage. However, Klaasen focused on the positive aspect of experiencing a different environment during their short Dubai stay, mentioning some players enjoyed night golf. Ultimately, Klaasen emphasized that winning the tournament requires beating strong teams, regardless of location, and their focus remained on playing good cricket to reach the final.
