New Delhi. The T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan, which was awaited by millions of fans for a long time, is going to be held tonight, June 9. The Pakistani team led by Babar Azam has reached New York with shaken morale after the defeat to the USA. Both their batsmen and bowlers are not looking in form and reports of internal strife within the team have surfaced. In contrast, the Indian team captained by Rohit Sharma looks united and strong, raising concerns in the Pakistani camp about another possible defeat. Amidst this tension, the Pakistan Cricket Board has made a serious allegation against the ICC.
PCB accuses ICC of bias towards India
The PCB claims that the ICC has discriminated against them in favour of the Indian team. They argue that their team arrived in New York just two days before the match against India, which did not give them enough time to prepare for the unpredictable pitch of the Nassau County Stadium. In contrast, the Indian team has already played two matches at this venue and has been in New York since the beginning of the tournament, giving them a better understanding of the conditions. According to PCB sources, the board was initially reluctant to play at this venue and requested the ICC to change it. Mohammad Hafeez, the board’s director at the time, expressed these concerns to the ICC. Despite this, the ICC scheduled the India-Pakistan match in New York.
ICC’s response and PCB’s internal issues
The ICC had clearly informed the PCB that the Indian team’s practice sessions and matches would take place in New York ahead of their match against Pakistan, which would be held elsewhere. Although the PCB had requested a new venue, internal management changes prevented any follow-up discussions. As a result, the PCB, embroiled in its own issues, failed to address the venue and other objections with the ICC. Now, the PCB is blaming the ICC and accusing it of being biased towards the Indian team.
This match is the eighth T20 World Cup encounter between India and Pakistan. Historically, India has dominated these encounters, winning six out of the seven matches played so far. Pakistan has managed to secure only one win. In the previous edition of the tournament, India defeated Pakistan by a narrow margin in a thrilling match. With this history, the Indian team is once again set to continue their winning streak against Pakistan.