‘I don’t know how broadcasting at 8pm IST helps India win matches’: Sourav Ganguly Schools’ ‘dear friend’ Michael Vaughan on unfair World Cup claim

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has criticized the way the T20 World Cup 2024 schedule has been designed keeping the Indian cricket team in mind. All India’s matches were played in the morning (10:30 a.m. local time) and the former champions were nominated to play the second semi-final (morning match) if they had qualified, regardless of their position in the Super 8. scene.

India’s match timings have been kept to match the country’s timings as they begin at 8 PM IST.

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The first semi-final took place between South Africa and Afghanistan in Trinidad and Vaughan vented his anger on X (formerly Twitter) and took an indirect dig at India and the International Cricket Council (ICC ).

“This semi-final surely should have been Guyana’s… but since the whole event is geared towards India, it’s so unfair to the others… #T20IWorldCup,” he wrote.

In the second semi-final, India outclassed defending champions England to set up a title clash with South Africa. Vaughan, after heaping praise on the Rohit Sharma-led team, insinuated that the surface was more conducive to the Indian team.

“India fully deserve to be in the final… Best team in the tournament so far… Was always going to be tough for England on this pitch… India are so much better on lower, slower pitches… #T20IWorldCup,” he wrote.

Sourav Ganguly hit back at Vaughan by questioning how the evening time slot helps India win matches.

“Michael Vaughan is a dear friend of mine. I don’t know how ICC helps India win cricket matches by keeping the broadcast at 8 pm IST in the evening. I don’t know how broadcasting makes you win cricket matches. We still have to play in the middle and win,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“Secondly, I don’t know why Guyana is considered a good country to win when it has won everywhere,” he added.

The BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world with the Indian market being the biggest source of revenue for the ICC and Ganguly says the reason behind this lies in his team’s consistent performances on the field.