Persistent rain has become a major talking point in the T20 World Cup, particularly at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.
The T20 World Cup clash between India and Canada on Saturday, June 15 also got abandoned without a ball being bowled. A wet outfield rendered the ground unfit for play, forcing the umpires to call off the match without a single ball being bowled.
This wasn't the first washed out game in the ongoing T20 World Cup. This marked the third consecutive match at Lauderhill to be abandoned due to rain. The Sri Lanka vs Nepal and Ireland vs USA matches also faced the same fate. The situation prompted criticism from former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar during a broadcast. They expressed strong disapproval at the lack of complete ground cover. In their view, the ICC's tournament regulations should be amended to mandate full coverage at all venues, ensuring a contingency plan against bad weather.
Gavaskar lambasts ICC
“ICC should not host the matches where there are no covers to cover the entire ground. You just can't cover the pitch and let the other parts of the ground get wet,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, former England skipper Michael Vaughan also cracked whip at ICC for mismanagement.
“How we don’t have more covers to cover all the ground is beyond me .. all the money in the game yet we still get games called off for wet outfields !!!! #T20WorldCup #USA,” Vaughan's post on X read.
A gloomy sky loomed over the venue as teams arrived during in the India versus Canada game. Despite early rain and the threat of scattered thunderstorms throughout the day, the covers remained stubbornly in place. The outfield, damp with soggy patches especially near the 30-yard circle, forced a delay in the scheduled coin toss, leaving fans and players in limbo.
The threat of rain loomed large over the India versus Canada T20 World Cup match on June 15. Early morning showers and forecasts for continued rain throughout the day forced a delay in the scheduled coin toss. As the gloomy skies persisted, concerns grew about the outfield's condition. Damp areas, particularly near the 30-yard circle, remained a cause for concern. The umpires, Richard Kettleborough and Sharfuddoula, took charge by conducting pitch inspections at 8 pm IST and again at 9 pm IST. During these inspections, they conferred with the ground staff and match referee, Andy Pycroft.
In a race against time, ground staff deployed super soppers and large hairdryers in an attempt to dry the outfield. Unfortunately, their efforts proved insufficient. By 9:03 pm IST, the umpires made the difficult decision to abandon the match. The handshake between the two teams confirmed the official cancellation.
Despite the washout, India finished Group A on a high note. They remained unbeaten after four games, securing a perfect record with seven points. This sets the stage for their upcoming challenge: facing Afghanistan in the Super 8s at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 20th. India will be eager to carry their winning momentum into the next round.
The washout of the India-Canada match shuffles things up slightly in the Group A standings, but doesn't impact the overall tournament. With the match cancelled, Canada, with their solitary win, currently occupies the third spot in the points table. This is simply due to alphabetical order, assuming they lose or their final match against Ireland is also washed out. Despite being knocked out of the competition, Pakistan still holds the potential to finish third in the group. Their one win, coupled with a higher net run rate compared to Canada, keeps them in contention. However, they'll need a victory against Ireland in their final match to secure this position. A loss or another washout would solidify Canada's hold on third place in Group A.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
