T20 World Cup 2024: Former England great backs India by dismissing favorable pitch and scheduling claims

Team India is currently going through a dream run. They reached the final of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 with a commanding 68-run win over the defending champions England.

Meanwhile, many cricket experts across the globe have slammed ICC for favouring India by providing suitable pitch and scheduling.

However, former England captain Nasser Hussain dismissed the narrative that India received favorable pitch conditions and scheduling at the T20 World Cup.

According to Hussain, India deserved to reach the final after overcoming varied pitch conditions.

“The narrative ahead of semi-final was that ICC prioritized India’s path to the final with the pitch, the venue, the conditions. However, a closer look reveals they just defeated the ODI world champions Australia on a bouncier pitch in St Lucia before playing on a slower surface against England and winning comfortably. Credit to them for their strong performances, as the two unbeaten sides in the tournament, India and South Africa, now face off in the final in Barbados on Saturday,” said Hussain.

“India’s 171 total was only little more than their 168 in Adelaide in their 2022 semi-final defeat by England. However, the pitch conditions were vastly different. Seam bowlers kept the ball low, while spinners generated sharp turn with minimal bounce. This made India’s total a respectable one to defend. Rohit Sharma demonstrated his class by adapting his game, eschewing his go-to pull shot, en route to another half-century,” he added.

Notable former England cricketers Michael Vaughan and David Lloyd, had been vocal in criticizing the ICC’s decision to allot India the second semifinal, regardless of their Super Eight standing. They also questioned the fact that India were the only top team not to play a single match under lights during the tournament.

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