manzoor.syed
Debutant
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2017
- Runs
- 32
The ICC’s favoritism towards the BCCI has never been more obvious than in this tournament. The entire scheduling reeks of an attempt to give India every possible advantage, and this move to hold all of India’s games in Dubai just reinforces the idea that the ICC is little more than an extension of the BCCI. It’s one thing to ensure a strong cricketing powerhouse like India has good facilities, but to outright hand them a tailored path to the trophy? That’s beyond ridiculous.
Let’s break it down. When India hosted the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE due to COVID-19, they had three perfectly functional venues—Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Matches were distributed across these stadiums, keeping the tournament competitive and ensuring fair conditions for all teams. But this time? Suddenly, ICC seems to have “forgotten” that the UAE has multiple grounds. Why? Because Dubai historically offers the best batting conditions, and guess which team benefits the most from that?
Sharjah, known for its unpredictable pitches and lower-scoring games, could have been a nightmare for India’s stroke players, especially against a disciplined bowling attack like Bangladesh’s. Abu Dhabi, which historically has assisted pacers and made chasing tricky, could have thrown a real challenge against a well-rounded New Zealand side. But no, India conveniently plays every single game in Dubai—the most batting-friendly, high-scoring ground in the UAE—ensuring their top-order doesn’t struggle with any tricky conditions.
And where were the other seven boards? How did they not raise an issue with this blatant favoritism? Either they were ignored, or they were too spineless to stand up to the financial muscle of the BCCI. Because let’s be honest—when the BCCI speaks, the ICC listens. India’s unmatched revenue generation for global cricket means their demands are rarely questioned, even when it comes at the expense of a fair tournament.
A more neutral, fair schedule should have seen
VS Bangladesh (Sharjah)
India facing Bangladesh in Sharjah, where tougher batting conditions and Bangladesh’s spinners could have been a real threat.
VS Pakistan (Dubai)
Their clash with Pakistan could have stayed in Dubai for the sake of maximizing audience and revenue, but that’s it.
VS NZ (Abu Dhabi)
The match against New Zealand should have been played in Abu Dhabi, a venue that offers assistance to both batters and bowlers, making it an even contest.
Semi final (Abu Dhabi)*
If India made it to the semi-finals, they should have had to play in Abu Dhabi, preventing any guaranteed Dubai boost.
Final (Dubai)*
Only if they fairly earned their way to the final should they have played it in Dubai, as finals are usually held at premier venues.
This setup would have added much-needed variety and fairness to the tournament. But instead, ICC handed India a smooth ride on a silver platter.
It’s not even subtle anymore. The BCCI’s influence over the ICC is at an all-time high, and this is just another example of how tournaments are being tailored to favor India. If this trend continues, what’s next? A T20 World Cup where India gets to pick their own venues and opponents? Because at this rate, we’re not far from that reality
Let’s break it down. When India hosted the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE due to COVID-19, they had three perfectly functional venues—Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Matches were distributed across these stadiums, keeping the tournament competitive and ensuring fair conditions for all teams. But this time? Suddenly, ICC seems to have “forgotten” that the UAE has multiple grounds. Why? Because Dubai historically offers the best batting conditions, and guess which team benefits the most from that?
Sharjah, known for its unpredictable pitches and lower-scoring games, could have been a nightmare for India’s stroke players, especially against a disciplined bowling attack like Bangladesh’s. Abu Dhabi, which historically has assisted pacers and made chasing tricky, could have thrown a real challenge against a well-rounded New Zealand side. But no, India conveniently plays every single game in Dubai—the most batting-friendly, high-scoring ground in the UAE—ensuring their top-order doesn’t struggle with any tricky conditions.
And where were the other seven boards? How did they not raise an issue with this blatant favoritism? Either they were ignored, or they were too spineless to stand up to the financial muscle of the BCCI. Because let’s be honest—when the BCCI speaks, the ICC listens. India’s unmatched revenue generation for global cricket means their demands are rarely questioned, even when it comes at the expense of a fair tournament.
A more neutral, fair schedule should have seen
VS Bangladesh (Sharjah)
India facing Bangladesh in Sharjah, where tougher batting conditions and Bangladesh’s spinners could have been a real threat.
VS Pakistan (Dubai)
Their clash with Pakistan could have stayed in Dubai for the sake of maximizing audience and revenue, but that’s it.
VS NZ (Abu Dhabi)
The match against New Zealand should have been played in Abu Dhabi, a venue that offers assistance to both batters and bowlers, making it an even contest.
Semi final (Abu Dhabi)*
If India made it to the semi-finals, they should have had to play in Abu Dhabi, preventing any guaranteed Dubai boost.
Final (Dubai)*
Only if they fairly earned their way to the final should they have played it in Dubai, as finals are usually held at premier venues.
This setup would have added much-needed variety and fairness to the tournament. But instead, ICC handed India a smooth ride on a silver platter.
It’s not even subtle anymore. The BCCI’s influence over the ICC is at an all-time high, and this is just another example of how tournaments are being tailored to favor India. If this trend continues, what’s next? A T20 World Cup where India gets to pick their own venues and opponents? Because at this rate, we’re not far from that reality
