Geopolitics and sparse crowds take shine off ICC’s Champions Trophy

New Delhi — Geopolitical reality, lack of buzz in host nation Pakistan and mediocre cricket in general meant Champions Trophy’s much-anticipated return to the calendar did not go according to plan for the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ODI tournament served as an ICC fundraiser but offered no assurance about the future of a format battling for relevance in a cricket landscape ruled by Twenty20 leagues either.

Financial engine India’s participation, a factor behind the commercial success of any cricket tournament, was in doubt after Pakistan bagged the hosting rights for the first ICC event in the country since 1996.

The Indian board (BCCI) stuck to their policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbours, who play each other only in ICC events.

Similar to the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a “hybrid model” was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their matches in Dubai to salvage a tournament, which had been discontinued after the 2017 edition.

Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, such as 2026’s Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled in India.

Reigning T20 world champions India beat New Zealand in Sunday’s final to prove their credentials as a white-ball behemoth.

India have lost just one match — the final of the ODI World Cup in 2023 — in their past three ICC events and probably did not require what many called an “unfair advantage” of playing all their matches in Dubai.

“I feel sorry for India’s cricketers,” award-winning cricket writer Nicholas Brookes said.

“They are an outstanding team — in my mind, streets ahead of their competition regardless of conditions, and one of the greatest white-ball sides the game has seen.

“This tournament should have been their victory lap, but their brilliance has been somewhat overshadowed by constant questions about unfair advantages.”

Allowing India to play all their matches in Dubai robbed Pakistan of the honour of hosting the final and disrupted the schedule of the knockout matches.

SA were made to take a farcical 18-hour trip to Dubai in anticipation of a semifinal against India before flying back to Pakistan to face New Zealand.

The whole affair made the ICC, headed by former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, look weak in front of the world’s richest cricket board.

The scheduling also favoured India, who had a week’s rest between their last two group matches, while Afghanistan played twice in three days.

“That looks like the ICC putting finances ahead of fairness,” said Brookes, whose An Island’s Eleven charts the history of Sri Lankan cricket and won the Wisden Book Of The Year award in 2023.

“Some people will naturally think that the governing body is bending over backwards to accommodate India.”

Defending champions Pakistan looked underprepared for the tournament, both on and off the field.

Eleventh-hour facelift to stadiums in Karachi and Lahore, sparse crowds and three washouts dampened the spirit among the locals.

Adding to their woes, Mohammed Rizwan and his men finished bottom of Group A after a winless campaign that included a defeat by rivals India.

An injury-ravaged Australia fielded a second string pace attack with Steve Smith, who quit ODIs after their semifinal exit, leading them in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins.

New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra bagged the player-of-the-tournament prize, while fellow Black Cap Glenn Phillips redefined fielding with gravity-defying catches and India’s Virat Kohli proved he is not a spent force yet, but the cricket was largely mediocre.

Afghanistan could not make the last four but impressed on their Champions Trophy debut while former champions England are searching for a new captain after their winless campaign prompted Jos Buttler to step down.

Reuters