ICC to Review Mickey Arthur’s Remarks on India-Pakistan World Cup Match

Mickey Arthur, the director of the Pakistan cricket team, expressed his view that the India-Pakistan World Cup match held on October 14 in Ahmedabad felt more like a “bilateral series” than a genuine international contest.

Reports suggest that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will evaluate Mickey Arthur’s statement.

In the aftermath of the match, Mickey Arthur remarked, “To be completely honest, it did have an impact on us. It didn’t resemble an ICC event. It had the atmosphere of a bilateral series, almost like a BCCI-hosted occasion.”

In response to Arthur’s comments, ICC Chairman Greg Barclay appeared to minimize them, regarding them as typical criticisms often encountered during such tournaments.

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Barclay commented, “Every event we organize tends to draw criticisms from various sources.”

He went on to say, “Let’s wait and see how the entire situation unfolds. We will conduct a comprehensive review after the event concludes. I am confident that it will still be a remarkable World Cup.”

Additionally, the absence of Pakistani supporters in the stadium was conspicuous, as visas were not granted to any fans for crossing the border. Only a small group of Pakistani journalists managed to arrive in time to cover the game, along with a limited number of fans with Pakistani heritage who either reside in other nations or hold citizenship in them.

Meanwhile, Barclay defended the organization and management of the World Cup, expressing his satisfaction that the current arrangements are ensuring the success of this major event, distinguishing it from previous ICC tournaments.