Legendary West Indies pacer Any Roberts has slammed the Indian team and BCCI heavily for the considerable advantage at playing at one venue in Dubai during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which they won on Sunday, March 9.
India defeated New Zealand in the final in Dubai to become a 3-time Champions Trophy winner. The CT 2025 was held in ha ybrid model with Pakistan as hosts. India played all of its matches in Dubai after they refused to travel to Pakistan citing security issues.
Andy Roberts was unhappy with ICC allowing the Indian team to play all of its matches in Dubai and labeled the International Cricket Council as a representative of the Indian cricket board, BCCI.
“Something’s got to give… India can’t get everything. The ICC [International Cricket Council] must say no to India at times. India even had an advantage at last year’s T20 World Cup, where they knew in advance where their semi-final would be played [in Guyana]. At the Champions Trophy, India did not have to travel at all. How can a team not travel during a tournament,” Roberts was quoted as saying by Mid-Day.
Roberts emphasized the lack of justice in the eight-team event, which required other teams to travel from Pakistan to meet India in the United Arab Emirates.
“It is not fair, it’s not cricket. There has to be a level playing field. I know a lot of money comes from India, but cricket ought not to be a one-country sport. It now looks like a one-nation competition and the playing field is not level. To me, the ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board. India dictates everything. If tomorrow, India says, ‘listen there should be no no-balls and wides,’ take my word, the ICC will find a way to satisfy India,” Roberts lamented.
Roberts, who won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, and was part of the dominant West Indies team in the 70s and 80s, stated this after his ex-teammate Viv Richards had also shared the sentiment.
“I don’t want to get into the political side of things. But I believe the people who are responsible, in terms of the governing and the ruling of the game in itself which is the ICC… they’re the ones who I think have the problem. I would like them to come up with an answer, why? If they are the governing body of cricket, why is that happening at present? I honestly believe one of the things that can bring all of us together, fans and everyone, even enemies together, [is] sports,” said the legendary Richards recently during the International Masters League in India.
