DUBAI: Former cricketers and pundits have slammed India’s “undeniable” advantage of playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, while the other seven teams have to shuttle between three venues in Pakistan, and the UAE.
India refused to travel to hosts Pakistan for the 50-over tournament, because of security concerns and political tensions, and are playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
A stand-off between the rivals lasted for more than a month, leaving plans for the tournament in jeopardy until the Pakistan board finally agreed a compromise with the International Cricket Council.
The deal means Pakistan will play at a neutral venue in any ICC tournament hosted by India until 2027.
The decision was reached after Jay Shah – secretary of the powerful BCCI – took over as ICC chairman in December at the headquarters of the sports’ governing body in Dubai.
“I feel very uncomfortable about the way that India is being treated at the moment,” former England cricketer and popular broadcaster Jonathan Agnew told ABC Sport.
“This is wrong. If you’re going to play an international tournament you can’t pick and choose where you play and where you’re not going to play.
“I don’t see how long this can carry on for? It makes a farce of these tournaments.”
The playing and pitch conditions in Dubai and the venues in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – are drastically different.
There has been no dew in Dubai in India’s first two wins with the highest total being 244 when Rohit Sharma’s team chased down 242 against Pakistan on a sluggish pitch.
Totals in Pakistan have been much higher with dew also playing a part, notably when Australia’s Josh Inglis hit an unbeaten 120 to chase down a tournament-record 352 against England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
‘Huge’ advantage
“What about the advantage India have in playing only in Dubai – which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage?” former England captain Michael Atherton asked Nasser Hussain on the Sky Sports Podcast.
“They’re playing at just one venue. Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus in on the conditions in Dubai.”
India and New Zealand have moved into the semi-finals from Group A and will play each other in Dubai in the last group match on Sunday.
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But irrespective of the placing, India will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4.
The final will be played in Lahore on March 9, unless India qualify in which case it will be in Dubai.
Australia’s Pat Cummins missed out on leading his team in the eight-nation tournament – once called the mini World Cup – because of an ankle injury, but weighed in on the debate.
“I think it’s good in that the tournament can go on, but obviously, it does give them (India) a huge advantage playing on the same ground,” Cummins told Yahoo Australia.
“They already look very strong, and they have got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there.”
However, England skipper Jos Buttler played down the controversy.
“Not really,” Buttler said after being asked if the schedule gave India an advantage.
“I think it’s a unique tournament already, isn’t it, with being hosted here with one team playing in a different place but that’s not something I’m sort of worried too much about at the moment.”
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