''That’s Just Fixed'', Ex England Captain Takes A Dig At ICC For 'Match-Fixing' IND-PAK Fixtures
''that’s just fixed'', ex england captain takes a dig at icc for 'match-fixing' ind-pak fixtures
Ex England skipper and renowned commentator David Lloyd has criticized the ICC for scheduling India vs Pakistan matches during the league stages of recent ICC tournaments, accusing them of engaging in a form of match-fixing.
“We talk long and hard about fixing in cricket, that’s fixed [pre-determining IND vs PAK fixtures]. That’s just fixed for a major event," he told on the TalkSports Podcast.
“I think that the romance of anything like this if they do get drawn together, not that they are, that’s it. If they do, there’s a romance to it. There’s something for spectators to look forward to. If it happens and then it becomes an event, you know the game itself is an event. You can’t fix it'', the 77-year old added.
He also hinted at a lot of other 'stuff' being fixed in the ongoing T20 World Cup, calling it 'manipulation.' He may have been referring to India, who played all their league matches at a single venue and at a consistent time (8:00 PM IST), while all other teams had to travel between venues and alternate between day and night games.
The Men in Blue was also slated to play the second semi-final in Guyana if they advanced that far in the competition—which they did—regardless of their position in their Group during the Super 8 stages. This decision was made to ensure India played the second semi-final with the Indian audience in mind.
The second semi-final in Guyana is scheduled as the morning match in the Caribbean, ensuring a primetime 8:00 PM slot for viewers in the India and it's neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, the first semi-final is set to take place at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, on the night of June 26, translating to 6:00 AM IST.
Criticism has arisen from different quarters regarding the advantage India gained by knowing their semi-final venue, a privilege not afforded to other teams.
“And that’s, that’s only part of what we fix. We fixed lots of stuff in this particular World Cup, to try to make things and manipulate. It’s just wrong," said Llyod.