India slammed for one-venue ‘farce’ in Champions Trophy

DUBAI: Former cricketers and pundits have slammed India’s “undeniable” advantage of playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai while other teams have to shuttle between three venues in Pakistan and fly to the UAE.

India refused to travel to hosts Pakistan for the 50-over tournament because of security concerns and political tensions and are playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

A stand-off between the rivals lasted for more than a month, leaving the tournament in jeopardy until the Pakistan board agreed a compromise with the International Cricket Council. The deal means Pakistan will play at a neutral venue in any ICC tournament hosted by India until 2027.

But in the immediate future it also means that should India reach the Champions Trophy final -- they are already in the semis -- the decider on March 9 will be in Dubai instead of Lahore. Jay Shah, secretary of the powerful Indian cricket board (BCCI), took over as ICC chairman in December and the country holds immense sway in the running of the sport. The ICC is based in Dubai.

“I feel very uncomfortable about the way that India is being treated at the moment,” former England cricketer and popular broadcaster Jonathan Agnew told ABC Sport. “This is wrong. If you’re going to play an international tournament you can’t pick and choose where you play and where you’re not going to play.

“I don’t see how long this can carry on for. It makes a farce of these tournaments.” The playing and pitch conditions in Dubai and the venues in Pakistan -- Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi -- are drastically different.

There has been no dew in Dubai in India’s first two wins with the highest total being 244 when Rohit Sharma’s team chased down 242 against great rivals Pakistan on a sluggish pitch. Totals in Pakistan have been much higher with dew playing a part, notably when Australia’s Josh Inglis hit an unbeaten 120 to chase down a tournament-record 352 against England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

“What about the advantage India have in playing only in Dubai -- which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage?” former England captain Michael Atherton asked Nasser Hussain on a Sky Sports podcast.

“They’re playing at just one venue. Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus in on the conditions in Dubai.” India and New Zealand have moved into the semi-finals from Group A and will play each other in Dubai in the last group match on Sunday.

Irrespective of the placing, India will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4. Australia’s injured Pat Cummins missed out on leading his team in the eight-nation tournament -- once called the mini World Cup -- but weighed in on the debate, saying it gives India “a huge advantage playing on the same ground”.

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal agreed, telling AFP: “If they were not coming to Pakistan at least they should have played their matches at three venues in the UAE.” However, England skipper Jos Buttler played down the controversy.