The United States leg of the T20 World Cup 2024 was no less than a nightmare for the participating teams. Apart from playing on two-paced pitch with uneven bounce, the teams had to deal with logistical issues as well.
However, former India head coach Rahul Dravid on Sunday (July 28) defended the USA phase of the event, saying that "playing at odd hours" and coping with "challenging" facilities were necessary "compromises" to take cricket to a larger audience.
Considering the huge effort involved in staging the tournament in the region, Dravid said he was fine with the 10.30am (local time) starts and the infrastructure used for the games in New York, Florida and Texas.
Notably, eventual champions India played their three group-stage matches in New York against Ireland, Pakistan and co-hosts USA while their last game against Canada in Florida was abandoned due to inclement weather.
"Yes, in terms of facilities, it's challenging. But if you want to grow the sport and make it a global game, then you have to be at events like this and make compromises, even if it means playing at odd hours in conditions that might not necessarily be perfect," Dravid said in a panel discussion on 'Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a New Era', celebrating the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Under Dravid’s guidance, India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title after 17 years. The Men in Blue remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and defeated South Africa in the final at Barbados to lift the coveted trophy.
The USA hosting the marquee event along with the West Indies was seen as a stepping stone to building a fan base in the region ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.
But, in order to also cater to the huge audience in the subcontinent, all the games involving India were played at 10.30am, which drew a bit of criticism as it was felt that local Americans were not taken into consideration.
Sharing his views on the same, Dravid said: "I don't think starting at 10:30am was a problem for me, honestly. We are in the entertainment business, which caters to people who want to watch the sport. I had absolutely no problem with it."
The 51-year-old further stated that the early start ensured it was "even-steven" for both the teams.
"As a coach, the conditions were quite even because dew becomes a factor in a lot of day-night games. The toss can become a big factor, as we saw in Australia. But for 10:30, it was not a problem; it was even-steven for both teams. From a coaching perspective, I didn't mind the 10:30 game," he said.
Dravid had ICC CEO Geoff Allardice for company during the discussion and lauded the apex body for its bold move of taking the World Cup to the USA.
"It was a great effort by the ICC to take the game to the USA and expose that audience to the game. There is a huge passion for the game in the USA. It was really nice to play in the USA; some of the games were packed," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
