The current circumstances suggest that scheduled matches may not proceed as planned
Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate matches from Florida due to severe flood warnings in the state.
In a recent interview with a local news channel, Azhar emphasized that the current circumstances suggest that scheduled matches may not proceed as planned.
"Given the severe conditions in Florida, it seems unlikely that the matches will take place. The ICC must take action and shift the games to another venue," Azhar said.
"Even if it means holding two matches at a single venue, I'm confident the teams involved have already contacted the ICC, requesting a venue change," he added.
Azhar also highlighted existing criticism directed at the ICC for substandard pitches at New York's Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, urging the council to act swiftly.
"The ICC needs to act quickly, and logistically, it shouldn't be too challenging. If no matches occur in Florida, the ICC will face even more scrutiny, especially given the ongoing concerns about pitch quality in New York," he concluded.
On the other hand, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has criticized the ICC organizers for the poor playing conditions in New York and the predicted rain forecast in Lauderhill, Florida.
Latif expressed his concerns on his X account (formerly Twitter), questioning the ICC's decision to schedule matches in Florida during a period known for rain.
"After eight matches in New York where the playing surfaces were subpar (with Canada's 137-7 being the highest total and India's 111-3 the highest run chase), we are now facing the possibility of three more washouts in Lauderhill, Florida. This is not a good look for the T20 World Cup, for which teams have trained and practiced for years!" Latif posted.
In another tweet, Latif added, "How can the T20 World Cup organizers ignore the rain trends in Lauderhill during this period and schedule matches from June 14-16?"