Photo Credit: Cricket West Indies
Andy Roberts, the former West Indies international fast bowler, has criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allegedly bowing to every demand made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In a wide-ranging critique, Roberts claimed that the ICC was overly accommodating to India’s needs, specifically in relation to the hybrid model of the tournament, where Pakistan was supposed to be the host.
The hybrid model saw Dubai serve as the venue for all of India’s matches, while the rest of the games were played in Pakistan. This arrangement was decided in an ICC board meeting, where it was agreed that all games involving India in Pakistan during the 2024-2027 cycle would take place at a neutral venue. However, Roberts believes this arrangement gave India an unfair advantage, particularly since the team didn’t have to travel for their matches in the tournament.
In an interview with Mid-Day, Roberts expressed his frustration, stating, “Something’s got to give… India can’t get everything. The ICC must say no to India at times. India even had an advantage at last year’s T20 World Cup, where they knew in advance where their semi-final would be played.” He further questioned the fairness of India’s participation in the Champions Trophy, asking, “At the Champions Trophy, India did not have to travel at all. How can a team not travel during a tournament?”
Roberts did not hold back in his assessment of the power dynamics at play within the ICC, asserting, “To me, the ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board. India dictates everything. If tomorrow, India says, ‘listen there should be no no-balls and wides,’ take my word, the ICC will find a way to satisfy India.” The 74-year-old, who represented the West Indies in the 1975, 1979, and 1983 World Cups, suggested that the ICC was merely complying with the BCCI’s wishes, offering India special treatment in the process.
Former England captain Michael Atherton also weighed in on the controversy, noting that India’s exclusive use of Dubai as a venue gave them a distinct advantage. Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton remarked, “What about the advantage India have in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai, which seems to me to be a hard to quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage. They’re playing at just one venue. They don’t have to travel either between venues or, you know, between countries, as a lot of other teams have to do.”
On the other hand, Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram took a different stance, arguing that the Indian team’s dominance would have made the venue irrelevant. “This Indian team would have won it anywhere in the world,” Akram asserted on the Dressing Room show. “Yes, there were a lot of talks, but once it was decided that India would play all of their matches in Dubai and had they played in Pakistan, they would have won there as well,” he added.
Roberts’ critique of the ICC’s actions regarding the Champions Trophy has sparked debate within the cricketing world, with contrasting opinions emerging over whether India’s arrangements were fair or justified.
As the ICC continues to navigate its relationships with powerful cricketing boards like the BCCI, the controversy surrounding the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy may serve as a sign of larger challenges in global cricket governance.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
