In a bold move Sri Lankan cricket great and former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga didn't hold back his thoughts on what he perceives as cricket's descent into biased decision-making. The recent choice by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to set a reserve day exclusively for the Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan in Colombo has become a focal point for his argument. While the ACC pointed to unforeseeable weather conditions as the cause, many within the cricketing community, including Ranatunga, remain unconvinced.
In an impassioned discussion with media representatives, Ranatunga remarked, "You take the Asia Cup. You have rules before the tournament, but before that one game (India v Pakistan), they changed the rules. Where is ACC? Where is ICC?"
To the former cricketing legend, bending the rules to cater to specific teams doesn't bode well for the future of the sport. He expressed his profound disappointment with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and ACC for not addressing this change. "I feel very sad for ICC and ACC because they just want to hold the positions. Former cricketers too don't open, simply because they need the bucks," Ranatunga pointed out.
Further showcasing his frustrations, Ranatunga didn't shy away from speculating about future games, indicating the possibility of further biases. "I won't be surprised if they change the rule before the India-Pakistan game (in World Cup). ICC will keep their mouth shut and say 'OK, do it'. ICC just talks rubbish, nothing happens," he asserted.
Despite predictions of rain in Colombo during the Asia Cup, the decision to not utilize other venues was a point of contention for Ranatunga. He openly questioned ACC's choice to not consider Hambantota, a location known to be apt for cricket during rainy seasons. "Why did they play in Colombo when you have places like Hambantota? That ground was built to play cricket during the rainy season. And you come to Colombo to play in the Asia Cup. What is ACC doing?" Ranatunga queried.
The stalwart believes that cricket, as a global sport, should never be dictated by a singular board or individual. Using the Asia Cup's scheduling as evidence, he emphasized, "Why do the other countries allow that (poor scheduling) to happen? Because the BCCI is powerful, or one particular person is powerful. No, it can't happen like that. They should have given an extra day for all the games if that was the case,” with Ranatunga refraining from directly naming anyone.
(With inputs from PTI, powered by AI)
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