ICC ‘outraged’ over bloated T20 World Cup US leg budget
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday was “outraged and alarmed” over the bloated Twenty20 (T20) World Cup 2024 US budget.
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ICC ‘ALARMED, OUTRAGED’ OVER BLOATED T20 WORLD CUP US LEG
Furthermore, the ICC was “outraged” over the bloated T20 World Cup US leg budget.
An estimated USD40 million to USD50 million budget was approved by the ICC Board for the USA leg.
Moreover, a board director said USD30 million was aimed for the construction of a temporary stadium outside New York City.
On the other hand, some USD15 million will be spent for operational expenses.
However, an additional USD20 million was requested by T20 World Cup USA Inc, the US-based entity created by the ICC’s commercial arm IBC (ICC Business Corporation).
USD20 MILLION AIMED FOR CASH FLOW, NOT ADDITIONAL BUDGET, SAYS DIRECTOR
Moreover, the additional USD20 million request was aimed tu support cash flow, according to the director.
However, this request got the ICC Board “outraged and alarmed,” according to a second board director.
“T20 Inc had to pay people and needed a cash injection as a loan,” the second director said as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
Among the directors who had reservations on the inflated expenditures for the US leg include CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow.
Also sharing Shallow’s sentiments are ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwala and Pankaj Khimji.
Khimji is one of three Associate directors on the ICC Board.
Interestingly, Khimji was said to have sent an email to the ICC that seeks for a probe on the US leg.
EMPTY STANDS AT CARIBBEAN LEG ALSO A CONCERN FOR ICC BOARD
Furthermore, reports of empty stands at venues at the Caribbean leg were also a concern for the ICC Board.
Moreover, the quality of the pitches at some of the venues was also questioned by some coaches.
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott described the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba as “not the pitch you want to have… a semi-final of a World Cup.
Interestingly, the academy was the venue of the Afghanistan vs South Africa match which the latter won.
On the other hand, the Providenc Stadium in Guyana, where West Indies faced Papua New Guinea in the opener, was met with sparse crowds.
That was scheduled as a day match.
Moreover, the timing of which may be blamed for the low turnout for most matches in the Caribbean leg.
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