British newspaper criticizes Indian influence in cricket

A British newspaper has strongly criticized the preferential treatment given to Indian interests in cricket, calling India's dominance in the field unparalleled.  

The report highlights that the integrity of the game has been compromised to benefit India in the upcoming Champions Trophy. It accuses India of using its influence to block Pakistan from hosting the final.  

According to the newspaper, this situation is disgraceful. The Champions Trophy venues are set as Pakistan and the UAE, with the final scheduled for Lahore. However, if India reaches the final, the match will be moved to the UAE. This unprecedented move means the venue for the final will remain uncertain until March 4, just five days before the match.  

The report also points out that Lahore, which last hosted the World Cup final in 1996, has been preparing for the event, but fans and organizers remain unsure if the final will take place there.  

When Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the 2021 Champions Trophy, including 15 matches, no provision was made for India to play its matches in a different country.  

The article further notes that seven participating nations remain unaware of where they will play their knockout matches, while India alone knows the locations of its semi-final and final matches.  

The newspaper also highlights a pattern of favoritism in ICC events, where the game's integrity is repeatedly compromised to suit India's interests. For instance:  

- During the 2019 World Cup, India didn’t play any matches for the first eight days of the tournament, while South Africa played its third match by then.  
- A 15-day gap was scheduled between the IPL and international matches.  
- In the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups, India’s last group matches were scheduled strategically to monitor net run rate.  
- In T20 and ODI World Cups, India’s final group matches were often scheduled against weaker opponents.  
- This year’s T20 World Cup semi-final was held in Guyana, disregarding group standings.  

For the Champions Trophy, India will only need to prepare for one country's conditions, while the other seven teams must account for the conditions of two different countries.  

The newspaper concludes that such practices continue to undermine the credibility of international cricket, creating an uneven playing field heavily skewed in favor of India.