Veteran cricketers slam ICC over Florida washout games
Legendary cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Michael Vaughan criticize the International Cricket Council over the rain-playing spoilsport factor during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Notably, rain has been playing a very important role in the ongoing marquee event, especially in Florida, where three matches—Sri Lanka vs. Nepal, USA vs. Ireland, and India vs. Canada—have been abandoned. Team India and Canada were the recent victims as their final game of Group A was washed out on June 15 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield.
A day before this game, Babar Azam and Co. paid the costs after the crucial game of USA vs. Ireland was washed out, which knocked them out of the marquee event as it gave the USA a point, which allowed them to enter the next stage alongside Team India from the first group. Notably, it was reported that there was no rainfall at all on Saturday morning, which raised hopes of the much anticipated India vs. Canada clash before heading to the West Indies for the Super 8's camp. However, a wet outfield owing to overnight rain led to the match being abandoned. There were a few inspections by the officials before the last game was called off.
In the same vein, former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at the ICC for not having the cover facilities. The cricketer-turned-commentator urged the ICC to ensure a cover for the full ground, especially in major tournaments like World Cups, so that whenever matches take place, the teams do not have to pay the cost. The former batting legend further took a cheeky dig at the Apex Cricket Council and claimed that one can't make money excuses for not having covers for the entire ground.
"It's something that the ICC needs to do. All the ground organisations have to have covers that cover the entire ground. This business of covering only the square everybody has got money now. You can't give the excuse that you don't have money for covers. We saw all those guys come from Tampa, Texas. They have travelled long. Here in America, where do they get to see so many top-class players? Give them the opportunity. So get the covers for the entire ground," Gavaskar told Star Sports after India and Canada shared a point.
How we don’t have more covers to cover all the ground is beyond me: Vaughan
Following the same, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan also spoke about the same lines after Jos Buttler led the English side to be forced to wait over three hours due to rain in Antigua. Notably, England's qualification for the next round was on the line in a game against Namibia on Saturday.
“How we don’t have more covers to cover all the ground is beyond me .. all the money in the game yet we still get games called off for wet outfields," Vaughan posted on X.
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