26 June 21
Anupama Nair
www.mediaeyenews.com
The winner of the World Test Championship is not New Zealand but the ICC and the famous English Summer and even I would go further to say the unplayable pitch prepared by a jealous Englishman. The highest score of the match was a mere 249 made by New Zealand. Is this the pitch for any ICC final? Why was the match played in England, when it was known such weather exists? ICC should have known with the World Cup 2019, with many matches abandoned. Did ICC go the Tughlaq way in planning? The two teams played brilliantly for two years and it was a major disappointment. New Zealand was only slightly better and lucky to get home-like conditions when the pitch should have been made neutral.
The match was a big disappointment, with rain and light interruptions and an unplayable pitch. I would like to say India has taken away the “choker in ICC tournaments”, like South Africa. India has only won the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup and 2013 Championship, and lost all crucial matches after being the best team in League Matches. Let me start with the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, India was the best team and lost to Sri Lanka in the final. In the 2015 World Cup, India again was the best team and lost to Australia in the Semi-final. In the 2016 T20 World Cup, again was the best team, but lost to West Indies in the Semi-final. In the 2017 Championship Trophy, India was the best team and lost to arch-rivals Pakistan in the Final. In 2019, World Cup, we lost to New Zealand in the Semi-final. Come circa 2021, the story continues… In the league matches of WTC India won 12 of the 17 tests played and topped the table. The tournament should have been the best of three instead of only 1 test.
Virat Kohli, after the match said “one game couldn’t decide the best side. To be honest, we wouldn’t be bothered by the result because we understand, as I said it as a test side, what we have done over the last three-four years, not just over 18 months”. I agree with Kohli winning two consecutive series in Australia was epoch-making. You lose some, you win some. You are still the best. In many ways, India has begun to resemble the Proteas of yesteryears – consistent and best during league matches and off-colour in crucial matches and towards the end.
The least we cricket fans can expect is ICC to plan future events carefully and hold tournaments in good weather and prepare neutral pitches!
ICC like Tuglaq. True
White man’s burden
ICC blunder
Nothing new
ICC is like Tuglaq
ICC was always prejudiced against Asia.
ICC was always prejudiced against Asia.
ICC was always prejudiced against Asia.
ICC was always prejudiced against Asia.
ICC was always prejudiced against Asia.
ICC made a mockery of the game.
What’s new ICC is Tuglaq for sure.
Shame on you ICC.
ICC is like that
Poor planning ICC
Poor planning ICC
Poor planning ICC
Saw the match. Big mockery of the game.
Big mockery of the game.
Big mockery of the game.
Pathetic match.
Shame on you ICC.
Shame on you ICC.
Very unfortunate event. Still well done India.
Big dissapoinment
Very unfair match.
Very unfair match.
Very unfair match.
Very badly arranged.
Very badly arranged match.
Very badly arranged match.
Very badly arranged match.
A mockery made of a final.
A mockery made of a final.
Badly conducted match.
Badly conducted match.
ICC messed up badly.
ICC messed up badly.
ICC always bisased
Very unfair of ICC.
Very unfair of ICC.
Very bad icc
Very bad icc
Very pathetic planning.
Very pathetic planning.
Very pathetic planning.
Very pathetic planning.