Former England captain Michael Vaughan has stirred up controversy by accusing the International Cricket Council (ICC) of favoring India in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. His criticism centers on the scheduling decisions for the semi-finals, which he believes were designed to benefit India.
Scheduling Controversy
Vaughan’s primary issue is with the first semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa, which was held in Trinidad. He argued that it was unfair to schedule this crucial match in Trinidad right after Afghanistan’s victory in St. Vincent.
“So Afghanistan qualify for the WC semi winning in St Vincent on Monday night .. 4 hr flight delay on Tues to Trinidad so no time to practice or get accustomed to a new venue .. utter lack of respect to players I am afraid,” Vaughan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Accusations of Favoritism
According to Vaughan, the first semi-final should have been between India and England, but the ICC tailored the schedule to suit India’s preferences. He criticized the decision to have India play their semi-final in Guyana, which conveniently aligns with prime-time viewing in India.
“Surely this Semi should have been the Guyana one .. but because the whole event is geared towards India it’s so unfair on others,” Vaughan posted.
For those unfamiliar, India was set to play their semi-final in Guyana regardless of their group standing because the match starts at 10:30 AM local time, which is prime-time 8:00 PM in India.
This timing aims to maximize viewership from the subcontinent. As a result, South Africa and England had to wait for India’s group status before knowing their travel plans for the semi-finals.
Moreover, the rain may play spoilsport during India’s semi-final, which does not have reserve day. If the game is washed out, the team that finished higher in their Super 8 group will advance to the final.
India, having topped Super 8 Group 1, are in a favorable position compared to England, who finished second with two wins out of three games. Meanwhile, South Africa comfortably defeated Afghanistan in the first semi-final, securing their spot in the final.
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