Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif took exception to the treatment of ground maintenance at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after rain, which frustrated the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy Group B match between Australia and South Africa. “The entire ground was not covered properly, and we were all disappointed about it,” Kaif said.
Sharing an image of the stadium on X (formerly Twitter), Kaif questioned why the authorities had not taken enough steps to ensure sufficient ground protection for the match, considering its importance. “It’s a shame that the Rawalpindi ground isn’t fully covered. Such an important match – SA vs Aus – might go down the drain because no one addressed this issue. Was the ICC money utilised wisely by hosts?” he wrote.
The game starts with a drizzle that has posed a major concern in Rawalpindi. With no proper ground coverage, staging of an international tournament like the Champions Trophy is a concern for the stadium’s preparedness. But many fans and cricket experts have echoed Kaif’s sentiments: that it’s not the correct use of the money that PCB gets from the ICC on hand, which, they feel, should be used instead for infrastructure and grounds maintenance.
It is additionally contentious, as critics of PCB have previously said that it has failed to provide adequately modern facilities and enough planning to deal with the inevitable weather interruptions. The issue came up despite the match between two top teams hanging in the balance due to ground conditions, pitting the debate over whether the ICC grants are used to their best advantage for the improvement of sporting infrastructure in Pakistan.
Referees again kept the fans and analysts in the dark on whether the game could proceed after rain delays or whether poor ground management would cost Australia and South Africa crucial points in the tournament.
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