The International Cricket Council (ICC) has called for reserve days for the semifinal washout knockout match between India and England at the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia earlier this month.
The other semifinal between hosts Australia and South Africa was a truncated affair, as the home team won the game and defeated India in the iconic MCG on March 8 – International Women’s Day.
In light of this, another big-ticket event in 2020, the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia from October 24 to November 15, may have reserve days for the semifinals, as Cricket Australia is reportedly seeking a change.
Kevin Roberts, CEO of Cricket Australia, told Cricket.com, “There is always a reason to reflect on the future tournaments, any tournament or any season. That being said, there are people who suggest that there should be semifinal reserve days for men. But I don’t know how a group of English women feel about it, and there’s no Reserve Day in their tournament. “
Will this be changed? The ICC meeting may have answers at the end of this year
There were a lot of disappointing throats as India pulled out of the semifinals and topped the league table in Group B matches. Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted, “The World Cup semifinals have no reserve day … what a shambles.” Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop tweeted, “In the future, all boards should look at flagging issues before signing all the tournaments.”
It should be noted that in the men’s 50-over World Cup in England last year, the ICC had reserve days for the semis and finals. India lost to New Zealand in the run-up to Reserve Day due to rain.
The ICC’s Cricket Committee will meet later this year to discuss the rules for the tournament, and members of the playing nations’ cricket board can push for changes. However, Roberts asserts that the conditions for the men’s and women’s tournaments are the same and that any change in it can only be discussed after the two competitions are over.
“I would have thought that the women’s and men’s events in this tournament (in 2020) would be playable and could be discussed after it was completed. Usually, the conditions of the game are determined before the tournament begins, and we have two events here – women and men within a single tournament, even if they are performed twice a year,” Roberts said.
