T20 World Cup 2026: “Do you need this entertainment?”- Gavaskar, Shastri slam laser & light show, say it’s hard on players’ eyes

India will face England in semi-final 2 on March 5 in Mumbai.

Former India players Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri have criticized the use of laser light shows during the drinks break in the stadiums in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. They pointed out that it becomes difficult for the players to get their eyes used to the bright lights, and the laser show is done in total darkness, affecting their eyes.

India was 53 for two in pursuit of 196 when the powerplay finished and the planned break began. During the three-minute intermission, the stadium lights were dimmed and a laser show was performed, briefly putting the ground in darkness.

Both Gavaskar and Shastri expressed fear that the quick shift in lighting conditions might impair the batters' attention and vision.

“The laser show during the two-and-a-half or three minutes of the drinks break…it's not easy on the batters, or anybody for that matter. To get your eyes used to the light, to get the bright lights again, you have darkness around you,” Gavaskar said on commentary.

“You have a laser thing going on. This is the World Cup. And for two and a half minutes, do you need this kind of entertainment?" In the IPL, it's fine in the middle of the IPL. Not in the knockouts, but in the middle of the IPL, that is fine. But at the moment here, in the World Cup, do we need these laser shows in the middle of the drinks break, at the drinks interval? And from the players' point of view, to switch back on is never easy. It's serious stuff,” Shastri echoed the sentiment, stressing the impact on players' concentration.

Meanwhile, thanks to Sanju Samson’s brilliant 97*, India managed to overhaul the 196-run target with ease and won the game against the West Indies by 5 wickets.

Now India will face England in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 on March 5 in Mumbai.

(PTI inputs)