‘Bhaijaan yeh kya hogya’- Fans react as Cricket Governing Body and Indian Cricket Board reject Pakistan’s plea for stadium swap

The Cricket Governing Body and Indian Cricket Board have turned down Pakistan’s plea to switch venues. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a startling step during the World Cup location impasse. It sent a letter to the Cricket Governing Body requesting that two matches be moved. Pakistan vs. Australia in Bengaluru and Pakistan vs. Afghanistan in Chennai are the matches in question. PCB wishes to avoid playing Afghanistan at the spin-friendly Chepauk Stadium and Australia at the batting-friendly M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

However, at a meeting on Tuesday night, the Cricket Governing Body and Indian Cricket Board officially rejected PCB’s plea for a venue change since it did not provide a solid reason. According to an internal PCB letter acquired by ESPN Cricinfo, the change in location would make Pakistan favorites against the two opponents.

We can switch these around: Pakistan Cricket Board

The note said, “Australia in Bengaluru and Afghanistan in Chennai are the two which we should look to get changed as much as possible. Ideally, we can switch these around. Australia in Chennai and Afghanistan in Bengaluru would make us obvious favourites in both matches.”

Chepauk Stadium in Chennai is expected to be a spin-friendly environment once more. With Afghanistan possibly having the strongest spin attack in the world, Pakistan wants to avoid them at all costs in Chennai. If Pakistan plays Afghanistan in Bengaluru, the batting-friendly conditions will allow Babar Azam and company to render the Afghan spin attack ineffectual with shorter boundaries.

Similarly, if Pakistan plays Australia in Chennai, players like Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan will aid them in containing Pat Cummins and company. Australia has struggled against spin in Indian conditions, making Pakistan the clear favourites in both games. In most cases, only security concerns prompt a venue change. This is not the case in this instance. The match between India and Pakistan in the 2016 T20 World Cup was shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata. However, this is uncommon when a team holds the entire schedule hostage for its own benefit.

Here’s how fans reacted

dramey tou tum logun ky khtm nae hote wtc June mein na ho England mein na ho ipl ky Forun baad na ho sirf aik match na ho

— saadamjad23 (@saadamjad257974) June 21, 2023

Yeah abhi tak solve nahi hua hai kya ?

— N I K H I L (@nikhilkalavale) June 21, 2023

Lets laugh at you first:)

— SANTHOSH (@Santhos64i) June 21, 2023

Stay always begger dear porkis

— Gautam Gambhir (@sangle_khandu) June 21, 2023

https://twitter.com/yesbank1234/status/1671462999218085888?s=20

Not ordinarily,if it started happening so easily just by asking then everybody would start demanding venues and pitches as per their wishes.

— Noone (@UdtaS) June 21, 2023

Exactly

Koi sense bhi to honi chahiye yrr.. They are saying Afganistan ke spinner strong hai chennai pitch mai hmari team ko uneh khelne mai dikkt ayegi ..hme chinnaswamy kii pitch do

Aur ek side ye log claim krte hai ki hm india m world Cup trophy uthaenge

— Rakesh (@h43825042) June 21, 2023

A day without embarrassment is a day wasted- PCB

— Avinash Reddy (@Avinash16929519) June 21, 2023