'It Is Dangerous...': Pakistan Head Coach Makes 'Shocking' Concerns On WC Scheduling
Pakistan Cricket Team (x)
Gary Kirsten, Pakistan's white-ball head coach, has voiced his concerns over the ICC's scheduling of major tournaments, highlighting the potential negative impact of having a World Cup every year.
In an interview with talkSport, Kirsten emphasized that World Cups and other significant ICC events should act as special highlights of the sport, not as continuous fixtures.
He also warned the ICC should not frequently schedule such tournaments that might lead to diminishing interest among fans, as these events would lose their exclusivity and excitement if they were held too frequently.
Gary Kirsten's Raises Concern On World Cup Scheduling
The South African former cricketer also emphasized that World Cups and similar high-profile events should act as highlights or 'appetizers' in cricket, rather than being scheduled consecutively.
"Sometimes I do get concerned about the lack of context in many games. But does it mean we need to have an ICC event every year? No, I think it could be dangerous to have a World Cup every year or other year because it's always fun waiting for those events to come around," said Kirsten.
According to Gary Kirsten, the ICC has struggled to maintain adequate intervals between its vital tournaments in recent times. This trend began in 2021 when the UAE hosted the seventh edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Australia emerged victorious, claiming their first Men's T20 World Cup title by defeating their Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, in the final by eight wickets.
However, the Australians had to defend their title less than a year later when the tournament was held again in October and November 2022 in Australia.
The scheduling challenge continued into 2023 with the ODI World Cup, hosted by India in October and November across 10 cities.
Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan is yet to announce the team for the marquee tournament.