R Ashwin slams Jay Shah for World Cup overkill

Anurag Dasgupta

Ashwin slams Jay Shah [Source: @Rajiv1841/x.com] Ashwin slams Jay Shah [Source: @Rajiv1841/x.com]

There was a time when the Cricket World Cup used to feel special, as the event used to take place every four years and fans eagerly waited for the marquee competition to take place. However, in the last decade, things have changed as there is an ICC tournament every year and this has made things monotonous for Cricket fans.

With the advent of the T20 World Cup and its growing popularity, the ICC makes sure that after every two years, the tournament takes place. However, a certain section of fans believes that this has led to repetition as there are too many ICC tournaments, and there is no joy in watching cricket matches.

Ashwin roasts Jay Shah as India spinner frustrated with too many ICC events

One such cricket fan is the former India spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, who has voiced his opinion on the same matter, as the legendary bowler took a dig at Jay Shah, the Chairman of the ICC by stating that no one will watch the upcoming T20 World Cup, as too many ICC tournaments take place nowadays and the excitement level is not the same anymore.

“No one is going to watch the ICC T20 World Cup this time. Matches like India vs USA and India vs Namibia literally pull you away from the T20 World Cup.

Back in 1996, 1999, and 2003, when I was in school, the World Cup used to feel special. We collected World Cup cards and got the schedule printed because the tournament came once every four years. That anticipation used to build naturally," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"India would face teams like England and Sri Lanka in the first round itself, and that made it even more exciting. In today’s era, that sense of anticipation is missing," Ashwin concluded.

How true are R Ashwin's verdict on frequent ICC events

Since the start of 2010, almost every year, barring 2018, has witnessed an ICC tournament. The trend continued in this decade as the T20 World Cup, which was supposed to take place in 2020, was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, and in 2022, there was again a T20 World Cup taking place.

In the following year (2023), there was a 50-overs World Cup scheduled in India, and it was followed by another T20 World Cup in 2024. 2025 had a Champions Trophy tournament, and fast forward to 2026, the fans will witness another World Cup in 2026.

In that regard, Ashwin has made a valid point and has indirectly shared the feelings of fans as too many ICC tournaments have ruined the fun and there is no anticipation that was present in earlier days.