Not happy with England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) apparent lack of preparedness, legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar has said that if the marquee India vs Pakistan group match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 doesn't happen due to rain, the ICC should punish the hosts.
"Well, ECB (is responsible). ECB is the one that runs the game here. The Lancashire county cricket club comes under its jurisdiction. So it's the ECB's responsibility," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.
This edition of the Cricket World Cup has become the 'wettest' edition with as many as three matches abandoned, including India's last match against New Zealand. And there was a no-result.
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"I also believe the ICC needs to tell the ECB now 'the game hasn't taken place because of negligence from your part. So you will not get that guaranteed $750,000. ECB gets $750,000 irrespective of whether a ball is bowled or not. That should not be the case. If the game doesn't start tomorrow because of this, I don't think the ICC should be giving ECB money.
"I hope people who have been trying to talk things about India and not giving India their share of the money, now look at this and put their foot down and show by example that what is good for one, should be good for everybody," Gavaskar added.
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India enter the match as the obvious favourites thanks to their perfect 6-0 record against Pakistan in the World Cup. And India will hope to keep their unbeaten streak alive. But there is high probability of rain spoiling the day
"Terrible (Ground not covered on Saturday). Unacceptable. This is a big tournament. You know the conditions in England and not to have that (extra covers) is absolutely unacceptable in my view. In a country like the West Indies, or in some parts of India where it hardly rains, you can understand grounds not being fully covered. However, Kolkata has got it done. Sri Lanka has it, has covers all over the ground.
"Why can't England? England often tells other countries what they should be doing in cricket. England should be the one that should have it because it rains and rains regularly. You can't have a situation where thousands of people come from different parts of the world and sit here and the game does not start," Gavaskar said.
