Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif came out in support of BCCI after some former England greats like Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, and David Lloyd and Michael Atherton questioned why India was getting an undue advantage given that all their matches were scheduled at the same venue – Dubai International Stadium.
Ex-Pakistan captain comes to BCCI’s defence:
While Latif agreed that there was a “scheduling blunder” on the part of ICC and all other stakeholders, he refused to put the blame solely on the Indian cricket board.
Speaking on his YouTube show ‘Caught Behind’, Latif said, “If we (Pakistan) are talking about India having an advantage, you get it. But why are former England cricketers whining about it now? Begaani shaadi mein abdullah deewana (They are trying to be overly involved in someone else’s affairs),”
“Yes, there was a problem with scheduling. On Saturday, March 2nd, India played New Zealand in Dubai. If India had played that match a day earlier, when England played South Africa (on March 1st) in Karachi, then the semifinal lineup would have been decided easily. It was a blunder from the ICC and all the stakeholders. You have one job: to check the schedule, and you missed the mistake. Once you agreed, and now your team is out, you are whinging. All the representatives of the cricket boards are to blame. You should not go to the ICC meeting to have a good time. Do your job properly,” the former Pakistan captain added.
Latif further noted that if Pakistanis are making excuses about the venue, that is because of ‘jealousy’, but the rest of the world should not ‘moan’ about the issue.
Latif added, “If India is getting all the support, but you all agreed to it, let’s say we Pakistanis are making excuses because of jealousy, but the rest of the world should not moan about this issue. You all agreed to this schedule.”
India take on New Zealand at Dubai:
Meanwhile, India take on New Zealand in the final of the Champions Tophy 2025. The Men in Blue have won all four of their matches at the same venue, while the Kiwis have also played in Dubai, giving them some idea of what to expect.
