Published: Feb 17, 2015, 08:59 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 18, 2015, 11:09 AM (IST)
Earlier this month, International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Dave Richardson made the statement that they were thinking of decreasing the number of participating team in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 from 14 to 10. He furthermore stated that the top eight ranked teams will directly qualified for the World Cup, whereas the other two spots will be decided by a tournament held in Bangladesh in 2018. He also stated that he cannot guarantee enough matches for the associate nations. Sudatta Mukherjee writes why Dave Richardson needs to rethink his decisions and analyse wisely.
Dear Mr Dave Richardson:
I am ardent fan of the team which you once represented — South Africa. I am quite sure you remember the time when South Africa were barred from playing international cricket due to apartheid. I am also sure you have noted how much cricket your nation and some of the amazing South African cricketers had missed as a result.
Let us not go back to all that. However, I want you to recall those days when despite being a developing country then in cricket and having the ability of playing Cricket World Cup, your nation was barred. You know what it feels like? Probably no. You did not belong to that age, you were lucky.
May be that is why you are ignorant of the fact that how teams like Ireland and Afghanistan may feel right now, especially after ICC’s and your comments on reducing the number of participating teams in the Cricket World Cup. Well, I have a lot to tell you.
Ireland have been featuring in the Cricket World Cup regularly since 2007. They may not be one of the strongest teams, but they have caused upsets. Remember the time when they chased down 327 against England in ICC World Cup 2011? They have successfully chased down 300-plus target thrice in the World Cup at the time of writing this article. Only two other teams have chased totals in World Cup totals, and none of them have done it more than once. How long do they have to wait for being recognised as one of the future powers in world cricket?
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It took just one win (against Pakistan in 1999) for Bangladesh to attain Test status, and it would be harsh to note that the team have recorded the most consecutive Test losses. Both Ireland and Netherlands have players who have represented other national teams. So, why cannot they attain the same kind of respect and status as some of the major powers in world cricket today, like West Indies and Bangladesh?
Most Irish players have the experience of playing in county cricket. Clubs like Warwickshire, MCC and Somerset have taken the next step in making them play. Surely they must be good enough to play international cricket their teams deserve at the biggest stage.
How long do teams like Ireland have to wait to earn the respect they deserve?
(Sudatta Mukherjee is a reporter with CricketCountry. Other than writing on cricket, she spends penning random thoughts on her blog. When she is not writing, you will catch her at a movie theatre or watching some English television show on her laptop. Her Twitter handle is @blackrosegal)
