Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was not happy with the way ICC scheduled the knockout games of the T20 World Cup 2024. This came after Afghanistan was knocked out of the tournament as South Africa defeated them by 9 wickets in 1st semi-final in Trinidad.
Rashid Khan had won the toss and chosen to bat first in the semi-final. However, the pitch in Trinidad proved to be too bowler-friendly as South Africa routed the Afghan batting for 56 runs. In reply, South Africa chased down the target inside 9 overs with 9 wickets in hand.
Rashid Khan expressed unhappiness with the ICC T20 World Cup’s taxing schedule and travel arrangements, emphasizing the impact on player recovery.
The ICC is noted for its rigorous schedule, with teams traveling long distances between matches. This intense schedule frequently leaves players with little time to rest and recover.
Rashid Khan takes a dig at ICC for poor scheduling of T20 World Cup
Rashid’s statements underlined these problems, emphasizing the importance of improved preparation and thoughtfulness.
“When you have a 4-hour delay flight, it’s not easy. Doesn’t matter if you sleep 1 hour, you have to be at your best,” the Afghanistan captain said after winning the toss.
Rashid’s views came after South Africa’s meeting with Afghanistan was assigned to Guyana, resulting in a long travel for the Afghans and possibly exhausting them.
The 25-year-old’s leg spinners’ concerns are legitimate. Sufficient rest and rehabilitation are essential for athletes, particularly bowlers like him who rely on peak physical fitness. Extended travel and delays might interrupt sleeping patterns and impair performance on the field.
Even former England captain Michael Vaughan voiced his concerns about ICC’s scheduling issues for multi-team events.
“So Afghanistan qualify for the WC semi winning in St Vincent on Monday night .. 4 hr flight delay on Tues to Trinidad so no time to practice or get accustomed to a new venue .. utter lack of respect to players i am afraid. Surely this Semi should have been the Guyana one .. but because the whole event is geared towards India it’s so unfair on others,” Vaughan posted on X.
So Afghanistan qualify for the WC semi winning in St Vincent on Monday night .. 4 hr flight delay on Tues to Trinidad so no time to practice or get accustomed to a new venue .. utter lack of respect to players i am afraid .. #T20WorldCup2024
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 27, 2024
Also Read: Arshdeep Singh Accused Of Ball Tampering By Inzamam Ul Haq In IND V AUS T20 World Cup 2024 Match