Sports

India vs Pakistan cricket match Champions Trophy 2017: Team India Unhappy With Practice Facilities

India vs Pakistan cricket match Champions Trophy 2017: Team India Unhappy With Practice Facilities

The Indian cricket team was unhappy with the practice facilities provided at Edgbaston, where they will play match against his rival Pakistan, with captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble expressing their displeasure on this. Both skipper Kohli and coach Kumble had reservations as the practice area was small. The main point of dissension was the run-up for fast bowlers. It was India’s first training day yesterday at the Birmingham venue, and they were allocated the practice arena adjacent to the main stadium.

It was learnt that the Indian bowlers Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya, all of whom have upwards of a 30-yard run-up, couldn’t take a full run-up at the nets as the distance wasn’t large enough.

This perturbed the captain and the coach and they have been reported to have lodged protest through manager Kapil Malhotra to sort the problem out with the Warwickshire (local county) authorities.

The Indian team also wanted to practice at the main stadium but was denied entry as Australia and New Zealand, who have a match on Friday, were provided access to the main ground. The rival Pakistan team also practised at the same ground but since they have been camping in Birmingham for the past week and have had access to the main practice arena throughout. India will only get a feel of the main turf on Saturday, on the eve of the marquee clash.

Meanwhile, after much drama over a purported boycott of the Champions Trophy over disagreements that the BCCI has with the international cricketing body on the new revenue sharing model, the Indian team arrived in England on Tuesday as hot favourites and defending champions. Their first clash is at the Birmingham venue of Edgbaston, against long time rivals Pakistan, who have a lot to prove of their own after they barely qualified for the prestigious tournament, placed eighth on the ODI ranking table.

When

4 June, 1030 GMT (4 pm IST)

Where

Edgbaston, Birmingham

About the author

Aiman

Keenly interested in sports of all sorts, I am a physicist by training and curious about everything.