Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra questioned whether the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) aim to globalise the game is half-hearted. The T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the United States of America and the West Indies, doesn’t seem to be giving the desired results.
Chopra has joined the ongoing criticism over the ICC choosing below-standard pitches in the USA and Caribbean, as there are many matches that have been abandoned with not even a ball being bowled in the three games in Florida so far.
The Canada-India game on Saturday (June 15) in Florida as well as the Ireland-USA match on Friday (June 14) were abandoned due to weather conditions without a ball being bowled.
Aakash questioned whether the 2024 T20 World Cup is achieving the ICC’s globalisation objective.
"One more match didn't happen due to rain (wet outfield). Not even a single ball was bowled in the India vs Canada match. The last game between the USA and Ireland was also abandoned. My big question is - the globalisation we are trying to achieve through this World Cup, is it half-hearted? Secondly, is it happening the right way because if the matches only are not happening, how is it happening right?" Chopra asked.
Moreover, former cricketer criticised the timing at which most of the games are played.
"Is it right the way this World Cup is happening? I ask you this question because at what time are the games starting - one at 6:00 AM (IST) and another at 8:00 PM (IST). Even four games are being played in a day, two in the morning and two at night. When the matches happen in New York, you don't understand the pitches, and when the matches happen in Dallas, they are very late," Chopra observed.
Meanwhile, New York’s pitch has been criticised widely. The highest score on the pitch was 137-7 by Canada against Ireland.
The commentator pointed out the number of spectators available during the game in New York.
"What is exactly being tried here? Let's first talk about the timing. The matches were being started at 10:30 AM in New York, which means 8:00 PM in India. So, you had to play matches at 10:30 in the morning for it to be 8:00 at night in India. When you do that, no one comes to watch and the same thing happens in the West Indies," he said (2:40).
With the USA making it to the Super Eights, Chopra believes that ICC’s globalisation aim doesn’t seem to be achieved.
“It's good that you played 20 teams and one or two teams processed and a few favorites were left behind, you have done globalisation that way. However, the way the matches are being played, especially with the bad pitch in New York and the storm in Florida, although you couldn't have predicted that, but it rains in the West Indies," he stated.