Australian paceman Mitchell Starc has lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the scheduling of the recent T20 World Cup in the West Indies. While Starc himself was a talking point after being dropped for a crucial match, his main concern lies with the logistical nightmare teams faced during the Super Eights stage.
Travel Chaos: Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc, a key member of Australia’s white-ball team, expressed his frustration with the constant travel between islands and the inconsistency of match timings. “It wasn’t ideal preparation,” he stated on the Willow Talk podcast.
He described hopping between Caribbean islands every other day, playing matches under vastly different conditions – some mornings, some evenings. “Two night games and the third a day game,” he said, highlighting the disruption to player routines.
Mitchell Starc questions ICC scheduling logic
The 34-year-old bowler wasn’t shy about questioning the ICC’s reasoning behind the schedule. The pre-determined seedings for the Super Eights, coupled with points from the group stage being irrelevant, created a bizarre situation. Australia found themselves needing to potentially lose a match to benefit their chances later in the tournament – hardly a recipe for focused, competitive cricket.
Mitchell Starc pointed out the inconsistency: “We finished ahead of England, yet ended up in a different group.” He suggested a more logical approach: “Why not have the bulk of the tournament at the beginning, then spread things out later?”
Starc’s future uncertain
While Starc’s comments may be fuelled by his disappointment at being dropped for the crucial Afghanistan match, they raise valid concerns about player well-being and fair competition. With his future in T20 cricket undecided, Starc’s voice adds weight to the growing debate surrounding the T20 World Cup format. Will the ICC listen and make changes for future tournaments? Only time will tell.
