IND vs ENG: Nasser Hussain hits out at different playing conditions for semi-finals of T20 World Cup 2024
The first semi-final has a reserve day but the second doesn't have one
Former England captain Nasser Hussain was left unimpressed with the fact that the playing conditions are different for the two semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
The first semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan has a reserve day but the second last-four clash between India and England doesn’t have one. Although, an additional 250 minutes is available in order to complete the match on the scheduled day during the second semi-final.
Speaking on the matter, Hussain said that the first part of the tournament should have been better scheduled so that there was enough time available to include a reserve day at the business end of the tournament.
"You can't have two semi-finals with two different playing conditions, where one has a rain day and the other one doesn't,” Hussain was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"The first one is made up over two days effectively or a day and a half. The second one, the England-India game, is made up over that whole day - it's 250 minutes that they can make up.
"We could rock up at 8am in the morning for a 10.30am start (local) and still be there at 10pm at night trying to finish off that game!
"The second semi-final is a 10.30am start because the players, the teams, the officials have to then fly to Barbados for the Saturday final.
"And it's given to India because of the TV audience in India, the biggest audience for the ICC [International Cricket Council]. Not just India, but Bangladesh, Pakistan and that part of the world.
"My thoughts are that the first part of the tournament seemed to meander along a little bit, with the long gaps... you could have got those games a bit closer together, rather than at the real business end have just one day between a crucial second semi-final and a final."
Both semi-finals will be played tomorrow with the first one in Trinidad and second in Guyana.
There is also chance of heavy rain in Guyana tomorrow which could affect the match between India and England. If the game is washed out due to poor weather, India will qualify for final by virtue of topping their Super 8s pool.
Comments
Dual ICC due to strong bcci commented 5 days ago