More than 90,000 people showed up for a Pakistan vs India game down under in T20 World Cup 2022. This figure might not look too intimidating but it was a game played at a venue thousands of miles away from both countries. This, also, was not an isolated event. Pakistan vs India games are known to be the most viewed matches across the globe. The rivalry ignites more and more due to political differences between both nations but this hostility is what sets the stage for the most exciting games the cricket world gets to see.
For more than a decade now, Pakistan and India’s games (in any format) have exclusively been played at mega-events. What are the odds of two teams coincidentally facing each other in every tournament? Astronomical, of course. Unless someone pre-schedules the games by drawing both sides in the same pool.
The more Pakistan vs India games, the merrier, no?
As a Pakistan-India clash fan, you would not know what’s wrong with that. ICC makes a few bucks, we get to see hair-pulling matches. No harm done. But many don’t follow the same suit. Including English cricketer David Lloyd. During a TalkSPORT interview, when asked what he thinks about ICC making schedules around the Pakistan vs India games, Lloyd clearly said that it is a way of fixing the game, which, though, brings commercial gains reduces the ‘romance’ of the clash when it is pre-fixed.
“We talk long and hard about fixing in cricket. That’s fixed. It’s just fixed for a major event. I think the romance of anything like this is if they do get drawn together – not that they are – but if they do, there is a romance to it. There’s something for spectators to look forward to. So if it happens, then it becomes an event. The game itself is an event. You can’t fix it. And that’s only part of what we fix. We fix loads of stuff. In this particular World Cup, you’re just trying to manipulate. It’s just wrong.”
– David Lloyd
Manipulation to get the highest viewership in the sub-continent
David was not only unhappy with the way the Pakistan and India games are treated but also how the ongoing World Cup was manipulated to ensure that India’s matches were played during prime time back in India. This was also the reason why none of the India games were played at night.
“It just isn’t fair (to other teams). You can go round and round and talk about it forever. We’re just manipulating the tournament for the benefit of a few. If you look at the TV audience in India, they would watch anything there and anytime. It is a religion. It is the be-all and end-all. They would watch it and so it must be of such commercial value, that overrides the competition itself.
– David Lloyd
He further added,
“And don’t tell me the ICC devises it. Who does it? Whoever it is, this operating group must be told that whilst you’re doing it, this must happen, that must happen, and that it’s a bit unfair to the teams. Come up with the best World Cup you can, you can put together for the supporter,” he said.
– David Lloyd
ICC has been criticized a lot lately owing to the way the council has organized the World Cup in the alien American land. Many critics think that the governing body could have done a better job at introducing cricket to the land of opportunities than by arranging games early in the morning just to make sure the Asian audience got the best time of their day for the game.
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