Cricket

The Indian cricket team emerged victorious in the T20 World Cup 2024, claiming the title without suffering a single defeat. The Rohit Sharma-led side showcased exceptional performances throughout the tournament, culminating in a thrilling victory over South Africa in the final.However, the triumph was not without controversy. Several players voiced their concerns over the scheduling of the competition and the seeding system employed by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Critics argued that India's knowledge of the venue for their semifinal match before any other team provided an unfair advantage.Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar dismissed these allegations as "laughable." He emphasized that the scheduling of major tournaments is often tailored to accommodate the Indian audience, which generates a significant portion of the ICC's revenue."The comments about the scheduling from former cricketers from the old powers were laughable," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. "They seem to forget that India is the major source of sponsorship for the ICC. It's understandable that the timing for the telecast will be at a time that is good for Indian viewers."Gavaskar drew parallels to the United States' purchase of broadcasting rights for the Olympics, noting that no one questions any favoritism in that situation. He accused the "old powers" of jealousy and frustration over India's growing influence in the sport."American TV buys broadcast rights for the Olympics for billions of dollars and has all the marquee events at a time that is good for its viewers," Gavaskar added. "We haven't heard a squeak from anybody from the old powers that this favors the U.S. athletes. But then, with them being poodles of USA that would be unwise."Despite the controversies, India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 was a testament to their dominance in the shortest format of the game. The team's unwavering determination and exceptional skills proved too much for their opponents, leading to an unforgettable triumph.

The Afghanistan cricket team's remarkable run in the T20 World Cup 2024 came to a crashing halt in the semi-final against South Africa. After reaching the last four on the back of impressive performances, Afghanistan produced a dismal batting display, scoring a mere 56 runs, the lowest total in the history of T20 World Cup semi-finals.Former England captain Michael Vaughan has attributed Afghanistan's poor performance to the scheduling of the tournament, which he believes gave the team insufficient time to prepare for the crucial match. Vaughan highlighted that Afghanistan had to endure a four-hour flight delay to Trinidad after qualifying for the semi-final in St. Vincent, leaving them with no time to practice or acclimatize to the new venue.Vaughan expressed his disappointment on social media, stating that the lack of preparation time for Afghanistan was "an utter lack of respect to players." He further suggested that the semi-final should have been played in Guyana, but the scheduling was altered to favor India."Surely this Semi should have been the Guyana one... but because the whole event is geared towards India, it's so unfair on others," Vaughan tweeted.Afghanistan's dismal performance against South Africa has raised questions about the fairness of the tournament's scheduling. Critics argue that the tournament should be structured to provide all teams with equal opportunities to prepare for crucial matches.Meanwhile, India is set to face England in the second semi-final on June 27. India has been in impressive form throughout the tournament and will be looking to secure a place in the final.