T20 World Cup: Why did the ICC give India a second semifinal berth in order to favor them?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has awarded India a spot in the second semi-final of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, while there are doubts over the decision’s validity.
India, headed by Rohit Sharma, is grouped with fierce rivals Pakistan, the United States, Canada, and Ireland in Group A. Should they advance to the event’s knockout round, they would play in the second semi-final in Providence, Guyana.
The scheduling of the matches was the reason India was awarded the second semi-final. According to ESPN Cricinfo, the first semi-final, which would take place at Tarouba, Trinidad, on June 27 at 8:30 local time, would begin at 6 a.m. in India. This scheduling is inappropriate for the Indian viewers.
Conversely, the second semifinal is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. local time, or 8:00 p.m. in India. The Indian viewers will benefit more from the second semi-final’s timing.
The World Cup final will take place on June 29 at 10 a.m. local time, or 7:30 p.m. in India.
Additionally, it has been announced that there would be no reserve day for the second semi-final. In the event that the match is delayed for whatever reason, an extra 250 minutes will be added to the schedule. Reserve days will exist for the first semi-final and the championship game, though.
Recall that reserve day would be held for the first semi-final and final of the World Cup if neither team was able to secure a definitive outcome in the elimination match until both had batted for at least 10 overs apiece.
In the event of an interruption, the team batting second will, as in previous T20 matches, have to bat for five overs to determine the outcome; this World Cup will follow the same protocol. For three knockout matches, the ten-over rule applies.
The World Cup begins on June 1 and will feature 55 games spread over nine venues in the West Indies and the US.
Kensington Oval in Barbados; Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad; Providence Stadium in Guyana; Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua; Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia; and Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent are the locations in the West Indies.
The matches will take place at three locations in the United States: Grand Prairie, Texas; Lauderhill, Florida; and Eisenhower Park, New York.
The World Cup’s final match will take place in Barbados on June 29. The event’s semi-finals will be held in Guyana and Trinidad on June 26 and 27, respectively.
Groups for T20 World Cup 2024
Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, United States
Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman
Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea
Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal
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