Viv Richards Rips into ICC Over Champions Trophy 2025 Blunder.
Photo : Twitter
West Indies legend Viv Richards did not mince words and criticised the ICC over its Champions Trophy 2025 scheduling. Stating that it is not Team India that needs to be questioned, Richards observed that it is cricket's governing body that needs to be answered as to why Australia and South Africa were forced to travel to Dubai from Pakistan.
India will play the first semifinal in Dubai on March 4 after refusing to travel to hosts Pakistan for political reasons. Hours after landing in Dubai, New Zealand and either Australia or South Africa will head back to Pakistan for the second semifinal, which is scheduled for March 5 in Lahore.
"People may have a point when they say that. I guess that's due to politics — I don't want to get into the political side of things," said Richards.
"But I believe the people who are responsible, in terms of the governing and the ruling of the game in itself, which is the ICC, they're the ones who I think got the problem," he added.
"I would like them to come up with an answer. Why? If they are the governing body of cricket, why is that happening at present? I honestly believe one of the things that can bring all of us together, fans and everyone, even enemies together, (is) sports," Richards explained.
India won all three group games and will play Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday, also in Dubai.
New Zealand faces Group B winner South Africa in the second semifinal on Wednesday in Lahore, Pakistan.
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