NEW DELHI: As rain washed out the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Australia and South Africa in Rawalpindi, former India batsman Mohammad Kaif blasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for failing to cowl your entire discipline.
The match was canceled after the toss was postponed for over three hours as a result of heavy rain in Rawalpindi. Kaif posted a photograph on social media shortly earlier than the match was formally deserted, revealing that the groundskeepers had not utterly lined the world.
Baffled with the scenes on the venue, Kaif slammed the hosts for his or her use of ICC funds for the eight-team marquee match and referred to as it a “disgrace”.
Taking to X, Kaif wrote, “It is a disgrace that the Rawalpindi floor is not totally lined. Such an vital match – SA vs Aus – would possibly go down the drain as a result of nobody addressed this challenge. Was the ICC cash utilised correctly by hosts?”
Regardless of a number of deadline extensions, the stadium renovations in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi had been completed only a few days earlier than the Champions Trophy.
After co-hosting the World Cup in 1996, that is Pakistan’s first ICC occasion in 29 years. India are taking part in their matches in Dubai.
Even after greater than three hours of the deliberate begin, the scenario in Rawalpindi did not get higher, thus the officers determined to name off the match.
As a result of lack of a outcome, the 2 groups’ first-ever match within the match led to an unintended approach as they every shared some extent. With three factors and an NRR of +2.140, South Africa maintains its lead in Group B, whereas Australia is available in second with +0.475.
Australia and South Africa each had profitable opening matches towards England and Afghanistan, respectively. A victory within the match would have elevated their possibilities of making it to the Group B semifinals.
Australia’s subsequent match is towards Afghanistan is on February 28 and South Africa’s final Group B encounter is towards England on March 1.
