In the T20 World Cup 2024, Sri Lanka played its first match against South Africa and suffered a crushing defeat. After this defeat, a senior Sri Lankan player made a big allegation on the ICC in gestures.
Importance of World Cup Schedule for Teams
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana has criticised the T20 World Cup schedule, calling it “unfair” and tough for his team after Sri Lanka and the Netherlands had to play their four group-stage matches at four different venues.
Specific Concerns Raised by Theekshana
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana has criticised the tough schedule for World Cup matches, calling it unfair. He said that unlike most teams, Sri Lanka had to play all their four group-stage matches at different venues. Moreover, their hotel in New York, where they began their campaign against South Africa, was far from the venue, making travelling difficult. They also faced problems such as delayed flights and long layovers at airports.
Possible Reasons Behind the Scheduling Decisions
Hotel to Stadium Distance – The team had to travel a long distance of 1 hour 40 minutes from their hotel to the match venue, which affected their preparation and recovery time.
Flight Delay – They had to deal with flight delays and spend hours at airports.
Player Safety – Sri Lanka had to play their four group stage matches at four different venues, which caused fatigue and stress for the players.
Theekshana’s complaint regarding World Cup schedule
Theekshana expressed disappointment after Sri Lanka’s big loss to South Africa and highlighted the challenges he and his team faced due to the scattered venues. He explained how the team had to travel long distances from their hotel to the match venue, which affected their preparation and recovery time.