With the Asian Cricket Council adding a reserve day for the India-Pakistan Super 4 game and the final, and for none of the other remaining games which’ll also feature Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the decision was met with widespread criticism.
With the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh game scheduled for Saturday also under rain threat, the two sets of coaches would lend their thoughts on the subject. “Little surprised when I first heard,” Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood said about ACC’s decision to have different playing conditions.
His counterpart Chandika Hathurusingha would echo the sentiment, “It is not ideal, and we also would have liked to have an extra day.” Even though, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would later state that the decision “was taken with the consent of all four participating teams and ACC.”
Sri Lanka Cricket Board also said that the decision was taken with the consent of all four participating teams.
Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad had questioned the decision from Sri Lanka Cricket.
“What was the pressure to agree on this unreasonable demand, when you aren’t getting a reserve day for your own matches ? Why so much generosity to ensure India vs Pakistan isn’t washed out even if it costs your own team a chance to qualify. Can you please explain truly the intent and reason to do so?” he tweeted.
“The organisers have made a mockery and it is unethical to have a tournament with rules being different for the other two teams.
In the name of justice, will only be fair if it is abandoned the first day, may it rain harder on the second day and these malicious plans not succeed.” Venkatesh Prasad added. (NewsWire with inputs from Indian Express)
