Former English cricketer David Lloyd has shared some strong opinions about India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments and the overall scheduling of these events.
India-Pakistan Matches:
Lloyd has observed that even though India and Pakistan haven’t played a bilateral series since 2013, they have faced each other in every ICC event over the last decade. This includes tournaments like the 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy. While these matches are highly anticipated by fans, Lloyd believes they should not be pre-scheduled.
In an interview with TalkSPORT, Lloyd criticized the ICC for deliberately placing India and Pakistan in the same groups to ensure they play each other. He argues that this takes away the spontaneity and excitement of the draw. He feels that if the teams meet by chance, it makes the match more thrilling and fair.
Lloyd stated, “We often talk about match-fixing in cricket. This kind of pre-scheduling is just another form of fixing. It’s wrong to manipulate the tournament for the sake of creating a major event. If India and Pakistan happen to be drawn together, it should be a natural and exciting occurrence for spectators, not a pre-planned fixture.”
Scheduling Issues:
Lloyd also expressed concerns about the scheduling of the 2024 T20 World Cup. He pointed out problems like insufficient rest days between matches and inconsistent rules for the semi-finals. One major issue he highlighted is that India hasn’t played any day-night games, which is done to cater to prime-time viewing in India. Lloyd sees this as unfair to other teams.
“It’s not fair to the other teams,” Lloyd said. “The tournament is being manipulated for the benefit of a few. The TV audience in India is immense, and cricket is like a religion there. They will watch matches at any time, so catering to prime-time viewing for commercial value should not override the competition itself.”
Lloyd called for a more balanced approach, urging the ICC matches to design the best possible World Cup for all supporters, without giving undue advantage to any one team. He emphasized that commercial interests should not compromise the fairness and integrity of the competition.
In summary, David Lloyd’s criticisms highlight the need for greater fairness and spontaneity in cricket scheduling, ensuring that all teams compete on an equal footing without undue influence from commercial interests.
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