‘ICC must start saying no to India’
West Indies cricket legend Andy Roberts has strongly criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allowing India to play all their matches in Dubai during the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Roberts’s remarks follow similar concerns raised by another cricketing icon, Vivian Richards, who had earlier questioned the ICC’s decision to schedule all of India’s matches in Dubai.
Expressing his frustration, Roberts accused the governing body of being unable to stand up to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which he believes has undue influence over international cricket.
“The ICC must start saying no to India. They can’t get everything. In last year’s T20 World Cup, India even had an advantage because they knew in advance where their semi-final would be held (Guyana),” Roberts was quoted as saying by the Mid-Day.
At the Champions Trophy, India didn’t have to travel at all. “How can a team not travel during a tournament?” he added.
“It’s not fair, it’s not cricket. There has to be a level playing field. I know a lot of money comes from India, but cricket shouldn’t be a one-country sport. It now looks like a one-nation competition, and the playing field is not level,” Roberts continued.
India emerged victorious in the tournament after beating New Zealand by four wickets in the final.
The Champions Trophy was hosted in Pakistan, but due to security concerns, India were allowed to play all their matches, including the semi-final and final, at a neutral venue in Dubai.
Roberts took it a step further by labelling the ICC as being controlled by India, asserting, “To me, the ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board. India dictates everything.”
The seasoned fast bowler even claimed that if India were to propose rule changes, such as the removal of no-balls and wides, the ICC would likely accommodate them to appease India. “If India says tomorrow, ‘Let’s eliminate no-balls and wides,’ the ICC will find a way to satisfy India,” he remarked.
Roberts also weighed in on the political tensions between India and Pakistan, which led to India not traveling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
While refraining from commenting on the political aspects of the situation, he placed the blame squarely on the ICC for its handling of the matter, suggesting that the governing body should have ensured a fairer resolution.
“I believe the individuals responsible for governing and ruling the game itself, which is the ICC, are the ones who I think got the situation in a bad state,” he stated.