The former captain of Sri Lanka asks, “Why do the other countries allow that to happen,” implying that other boards are scared of the BCCI.
Arjuna Ranatunga has warned that favouring one team (read: India) over others will endanger international cricket. He was critical of the decision to add a reserve day for the Asia Cup Super Four match between Pakistan and India, which is the only game in the tournament aside from the final to get the advantage, after the tournament had begun.
“The Asia Cup is yours. PTI cited Ranatunga as stating, “You have rules before the tournament, but before that one game, they changed the rules.” Ranatunga was speaking to media representatives. “ACC is where? ICC is located where? When one team’s rules are changed during a tournament, it makes me uneasy. You have a catastrophe in store for the future.
“ICC and ACC only seem to want to keep onto their positions, which makes me extremely unhappy for them. Former cricket players also don’t open because they only need the money.”
The Asia Cup began on August 30 and ended without a result on September 2, when rain forced the match to be called off after one innings between India and Pakistan. Pallekele was the venue for that match. On September 8, two days prior to the Pakistan vs. India Super Four match in Colombo, the rules were altered, granting the match a reserve day.
Both Sri Lankan coach Chris Silverwood and Bangladeshi coach Chandika Hathurusinghe had expressed surprise at the news at the time. At a press conference, Hathurusinghe had stated, “I haven’t seen this kind of thing in another tournament, this changing of rules in the middle of the tournament,” while Silverwood had remarked, “It was a little surprise when I first heard [that].”
“I won’t be surprised if they change the rule before the India-Pakistan game [at the upcoming ODI World Cup],” Ranatunga continued. “ICC will say, ‘Okay, do it,’ and keep their lips quiet. The ICC basically talks trash; nothing gets done.”
Ranatunga stated that other boards should defend their rights and that no one board or person should be in charge of world cricket.
Ranatunga questioned, “Why do the other countries let that happen?” “Because the BCCI, or a specific individual, possesses great power. No, that is not how it can occur. If such was the case, they ought to have extended the schedule for every game by one day.”
