Former India captain Sourav Ganguly schooled his ‘dear friend’ and former England skipper Michael Vaughan who has been critical of the way the 2024 T20 World Cup schedule has been designed keeping the Indian cricket team in mind.
He pointed out how all of India’s matches have been played in the morning (10:30 AM local time) and the former champions were penciled in to play the second semi-final (morning fixture) should they have qualified no matter the position they finished in the Super 8 stage.
The timings of India matches have been kept to suit the timings back home as they start at 8 PM IST.
Vaughan vented his ire at the ICC after the South Africa v Afghanistan first semi-final in Trinidad. He posted on X: “Surely this Semi should have been the Guyana one… but because the whole event is geared towards India it’s so unfair on others… #T20IWorldCup.”
In the second semi-final, India defeated defending champions England to set up a title match against South Africa. Vaughan, after applauding the Rohit Sharma-led team, implied that the surface was more favorable to the Indian team.
“India thoroughly deserves to be in the final… The best team in the tournament so far… Was always going to hard for England on this pitch… India just so much better on lower slower spinning pitches .. #T20IWorldCup,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly hit back at Vaughan wondering how the evening time slot is helping India win matches.
“Michael Vaughan is a very dear friend of mine. I don’t know how ICC helps India win cricket matches by keeping the broadcast at 8 pm IST. I don’t know how broadcasting wins you cricket matches. You still have to play in the middle and win. Secondly, I don’t know why Guyana is thought to be a venue for winning when they have gone around and won everywhere,” Ganguly was quoted by PTI.
The BCCI is the world's richest cricket board, with the Indian market providing the majority of money for the ICC, and Ganguly attributes this to their team's constant on-field performances.
“Yes, India is a dominant force in world cricket, by its performance, by its broadcast, and by the money it brings to the table. You know if you own 80 percent of a company’s shares, you will get more dividends and profits than others. It’s the rule of life. India are the same,” he said.
