Revenue over protocol? Questions over ICC’s management:21% matches cancelled in Women’s ODI World Cup; Australian players molested; fake ticket sale info

The mismanagement in the operation of the International Cricket Council’s(ICC) major events has caught the headlines recently. The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is the biggest witness to this fact, in which, due to poor scheduling, 6 (21%) out of 28 group matches were cancelled due to rain. Former champions like New Zealand were eliminated, finishing in sixth place due to two cancelled matches. Host Sri Lanka’s three matches in Colombo were washed out by rain. Meanwhile, Pakistan finished in last place without a win. Seven teams fell victim to at least one no-result match, which disrupted the tournament’s equations. The incident of molestation with two Australian players in Indore also raised concerns about the event’s security arrangements. Complaints from fans and players indicate that the ICC is consistently failing to manage major events, player safety, and facilities. Fake ‘sold out’ information considering scheduling before 41 days of competition ICC’s poor organisational arrangements were clearly visible in the 2023 Men’s World Cup. Tickets were released just 41 days in advance, which did not give foreign fans enough time for visa, travel, and hotel bookings. As a result, stadiums remained empty in many matches, except for those involving India. The schedule for the 2025 Women’s World Cup was also changed a month in advance, which increased the problems. Ticketing also remains a major issue. Tickets appear ‘Sold Out’ on BookMyShow, while seats remain empty in the stadium. In World Cup 2023, Eden Gardens, with a capacity of 65,000, sold only 32,000 tickets, while at Chepauk Stadium, only 13,000 out of 37,000 tickets were available for sale. BCCI reserved tickets for sponsors and guests, which disappointed fans. Teams’ accommodation and food: Pakistan team changed hotels mid-tournament The arrangements made by the ICC for players also faced criticism during the 2024 T20I World Cup. The Pakistan team’s hotel was 90 minutes away from the New York stadium, after which they had to shift hotels in the middle of the tournament. Meanwhile, players also faced difficulties. In the Caribbean leg of that World Cup, the Afghanistan team could not get ‘halal meat’ in Bridgetown. Venue Selection: America’s pitch ‘dangerous’, Dharamshala’s ground problematic ICC’s venue selection has consistently been under scrutiny. In the 2024 T20I World Cup, the pitch at Nassau County in America was extremely slow and had uneven bounce. Former cricketer Andy Flower called it ‘dangerous’. Lauderhill was given the hosting rights for four matches, out of which not a single ball could be bowled in three, as there were no facilities to dry the ground even after the rain stopped. Meanwhile, in the 2023 World Cup, Dharamshala’s outfield was repeatedly coming apart with players’ dives. Journey: Africa’s Pak-Dubai-Pak tour in 18 hours; Sri Lankan team left without breakfast In the Champions Trophy held this February, the South Africa team fell victim to ICC’s mismanagement. They had to go from Pakistan to Dubai and return in 18 hours. India was playing all its matches in Dubai, while Pakistan was the host. South Africa qualified for the semi-finals, but their match with New Zealand or India was not decided. They reached Dubai on Sunday afternoon and returned to Pakistan the next morning when their match with New Zealand was fixed. Similarly, in the T20I World Cup played last year, Sri Lanka had to hastily leave the field after their defeat, because their flight was at 6 PM. The hotel was an hour and a half away from the stadium. Many players of the team left at 7 AM without breakfast before the match, and a 7-hour flight delay increased their trouble. Events are happening without a Tournament Director, situation has become worse since 2023 ICC organises cricket tournaments in a disorganised manner. Issues like delayed schedule releases, ticket releases, poor pitches, and travel-related problems are emerging consistently. During the Women’s World Cup in Sri Lanka, several matches were cancelled due to rain, as the event was held during the monsoon season, which indicates poor planning. There is a lack of accountability in the ICC. Even tournament directors are not being appointed. About three years before the 2019 ODI World Cup, Steve Elworthy, who had experience organising three World Cups, was made the tournament director, but from 2023, the situation worsened. No official organising committee was seen. Under the dominance of the BCCI, most of the responsibility is being handed over to the host country. This leads to problems in stadium conditions, ticket arrangements, and player facilities like hotels and transport. Organisations like FIFA and the Olympics ensure strict protocols and professional organisation, whereas the ICC only focuses on revenue.