India defeated Pakistan with ease in the eagerly awaited World Cup match on October 14 in Ahmedabad, making it eight times in a row, they have won ODI World Cup matches. However, Mickey Arthur, the team director for Pakistan, made certain comments that caused this specific game to become a contentious issue.
Arthur voiced his worry that the atmosphere at the eagerly awaited showdown seemed more like a “BCCI’s Bilateral Series” rather than an ICC event, mainly due to the absence of Pakistani supporters and the overwhelming Indian backing.
Mickey Arthur made this statement following Pakistan’s seven-wicket defeat in the game. The fact that there were no Pakistani supporters at the Narendra Modi Stadium due to visa complications created an atmosphere that seemed heavily tilted in favor of India. The presence of only a handful of Pakistani journalists and individuals with Pakistani heritage from other nations in the audience gave the impression of an event that was more centered around India, rather than being a genuinely international tournament.
Arthur remarked, “Look, I’d be lying if I said it did [not affect us],” Arthur said after the match. “It didn’t seem like an ICC event, to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI event.” His comment underscores the impact of a lopsided crowd and the intensity of the India-Pakistan rivalry, which overshadowed the tournament’s global appeal.
ICC Chairman Greg Barclay has addressed Arthur’s criticism by minimizing the significance of the feedback received during major sporting events.
“Every event that we have, there’s always criticisms from various quarters,” he said
“Things that perhaps we’ll take away and try to work on, try to do better,so this event’s only [at] the start. Let’s see how the whole thing plays out and we’ll go away and we’ll review what could change, what we can do better, how we can improve World Cups and the general offering around cricket.
“We will just take it as it plays out, get to the end of the event. I’m satisfied that it will still be an outstanding World Cup. he added
He reminded out that every event undoubtedly confronts a spectrum of complaints and highlighted that there’s space for development once the World Cup closes. Despite the initial controversies, he maintains an optimistic stance on the tournament’s overall success, thinking it will stand out as a magnificent World Cup.
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Mickey Arthur’s recent remarks concerning the India vs. Pakistan battle in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 have prompted discussions about the event’s ambiance and the disproportionate distribution of supporters between the two teams. Although the controversy may have cast a shade over the tournament’s early stages, ICC Chairman Greg Barclay remains sure that, in the end, the World Cup will be recognized as a great success.
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