Outing chairman of the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), Greg Barclay, has revealed the incident that induced him probably the most grief throughout his tenure. He additionally criticized the Australia Nationwide Cricket Crew for boycotting the bilateral collection towards the Afghanistan Nationwide Cricket Crew.
Greg Barclay’s tenure because the chairman of the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) got here to an finish following Jay Shah was appointed as the brand new head. The previous secretary of the Board of Management for Cricket (BCCI) took over the cost of the worldwide cricket physique from 1st December 2024.
If you wish to make a political assertion, don’t play them in a World Cup – Greg Barclay on Australia not enjoying with Afghanistan in bilateral collection
As he leaves the ICC, Greg Barclay spoke about how Australia not agreeing to play a bilateral collection towards Australia was the difficult half for him. He criticized the Pat Cummins-led facet, saying that in the event that they did not wish to play Afghanistan, then they need to’ve stopped enjoying in World Cups. Talking to the Telegraph, he mentioned:
“If you wish to make a political assertion, don’t play them in a World Cup,” mentioned Barclay. “Certain, it may cost a little you a semi-final place, however ideas are ideas. It’s not about having half a precept.”
Greg Barclay additionally backed Afghanistan, saying that it wasn’t their board’s fault, claiming that they, too, are working beneath the decree. He additionally talked about that it would not have made any sense to kick the Asian workforce out and sack their standing. He defined:
“It’s not the Afghanistan board’s fault. They used to have ladies’s cricket. I believe our method has been proper. It could be simple to kick Afghanistan out, however their board haven’t executed something incorrect.
“They’re simply working beneath a decree and a collection of legal guidelines that claims that is what it’s a must to do. I don’t assume it will make a jot of distinction to the ruling celebration there to kick them out.”
Cricket Australia denied enjoying towards the Afghanistan after Taliban authorities banned ladies from enjoying sports activities
This ranges lengthy again after Cricket Australia made a powerful assertion, saying that they will not be enjoying the bilateral collection towards the Afghanistan Nationwide Cricket Crew. That is due to guidelines made by the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan.
They banned ladies from enjoying sports activities, and this did not go nicely with Cricket Australia, who denied enjoying towards the Afghanistan Nationwide Cricket Crew, mentioning that ladies’s rights are equally vital. The six-time World Champions canceled the collection twice towards the Asian Crew as a result of resolution of the Taliban authorities.
Not solely them but in addition, ECB CEO Richard Gould was on the identical web page. Though they are not slated to play towards Afghanistan, they talked about that they might undertake the identical coverage of Cricket Australia till the ACB modified their stance on ladies enjoying cricket.
I believe cricket is such a drive for good there [in Afghanistan] – Greg Barclay
Greg Barclay additional talked about that cricket is a good supply of pleasure for folks in Afghanistan. He hopes for a change within the Taliban authorities’s stance and concluded by saying that it will not be nice to take pleasure from folks there.
“Perhaps I’m a little bit naive, however I believe cricket is such a drive for good there [in Afghanistan], and it brings a number of pleasure to lots of people. It’s higher to go away it there and hope that it might probably foster a little bit of a change,” Barclay informed The Telegraph.
“It’s an actual feel-good story – a sport that was performed within the refugee camps 25 years in the past and now they’ve performed in a World Cup semi-final. Do you actually wish to flip the faucet off?” he concluded.
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