The International Cricket Council (ICC) and The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have come in for criticism after the opening match of the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup between England and New Zealand played out in an empty 132 000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium. Both governing our bodies got here underneath hearth from the world’s media and cricket supporters after the 2015 World Cup finalists started their quest for glory with hardly any followers in the stadium.
ALSO READ: Jonty Rhodes tops ‘greatest moment’ in World Cup Cricket historical past
The sport’s showpiece occasion often begins with the hosts enjoying in prime time. Not this time; this version was a replay of the 2019 World Cup remaining thriller at Lord’s in London – which noticed England beat New Zealand after the match went right into a Super Over, and the hosts received on boundary rely in a weird end to a implausible remaining.
Cricket World Cup Twitter criticism geared toward ICC AND BCCI
It didn’t take lengthy for Twitter (X) to explode, with the ICC and BCCI taking the majority of the hits. There are many opinions on why India’s supporters stayed away.
It shouldn’t be the primary time cricket organisers have been criticised for empty grounds at World Cups staged on the sub-continent. However, a number of the apathy for a replay of the earlier World Cup remaining may need one thing to do with greed and the ticket costs, the selection of metropolis and venue, or the disdain proven in the direction of followers by staging the opening match of the sport’s showpiece occasion on a Thursday afternoon, or with out the host nation enjoying in prime time.
ALSO READ: Injuries go away Proteas in disarray earlier than World Cup
Journalist take purpose at empty stadium
Tim Wigmore, writing in The Telegraph defined some causes as tickets being put up on the market too late, poor advertising, and late venue adjustments. Cricket journalist and Caribbean Cricket Podcast host Santokie Nagulendran quote-tweeted a photo of an empty Dubai International Stadium for the 2021 T20 Cricket World Cup hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
ALSO READ: Was Temba Bavuma caught sleeping?
Many Indian journalists shared footage of dirty seats covered in pigeon excrement taken by a supporter. Other Twitter customers accused the ICC and BCCI of being grasping as a result of costly ticket costs in a rustic with mass poverty are the problem. Some thought too many tickets put aside for company friends and sponsors had an impact.
Many questioned whether or not or not enjoying the opening match in Mumbai, Kolkata or New Delhi, the higher recognized cities for cricket in India may need been a greater thought as a result of they’re the standard ‘hot spots’ of the game in a cricket-mad nation.
ALSO READ: England v New Zealand Live Score 2023 Cricket World Cup
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY KAYLAN GEEKIE
