Arjuna claims ICC gives India whatever it wants
March 9, 2011 10:20 am
Former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Rantunga has criticised the
World Cup format which would see Kumar Sangakkara’s men lose their home
advantage if they happened to take on India in the knock-out stages.
As per tournament regulations, the three host nations ”India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ” would play
their knock-out matches at home. However, if two host nations face each other,
the team with higher seeding would get the home advantage.
This means that India, seeded above both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by virtue of
their higher ranking, would play all their knock-out ties at home, irrespective
of where they finish (among the top four) at the end of group stage.
With an India-Sri Lanka match up in the quarter-final a likely prospect, fans
in the Pearl Island are an aggrieved lot. “This is just another example of ICC
giving India whatever they want,” a peeved Ranatunga, who led his side to World
Cup triumph in 1996, told MiD DAY.
“Sri Lanka are the runners-up, so we should have been given some sort of
advantage in this situation. If we do play against India in the quarter-final,
why not have the match in Colombo? I don’t know how SLC (Sri Lanka
Cricket) agreed to this rule.”
“What if Sri Lanka topped their group and India finished last in theirs? Even
in that scenario, India will get home advantage. That is why this rule doesn’t
make sense,” Ranatunga said.
However, Ranatunga’s brother Nishanta, who is the secretary of Sri Lanka
Cricket (SLC), played down the issue.
“I am sure the Sri Lankan supporters would love to see their side play at home,
but the decision was taken by ICC before the tournament started, and the SLC
did not oppose it. We are pleased with the programme. It was approved at the
CEC (Chief Executives’ Committee) level, and we cannot oppose it,” the younger
Ranatunga told MiD DAY. (MidDay)
