Ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup, the Indian cricket team is set to participate in only one warm-up match in the United States and the West Indies, departing from the usual practice of two warm-up games. The decision, reportedly made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has raised questions about the rationale behind the change.
As per a report on Cricbuzz, the BCCI has specified that the solitary warm-up match will take place in New York, where the team will be stationed. Despite suggestions from the ICC and Cricket West Indies for a warm-up fixture in Florida, Indian players, fatigued from extensive travel and the demanding Indian Premier League (IPL), have shown reluctance to undertake additional journeys.
Warm-up matches hold significant commercial value, often televised to capitalize on monetization opportunities. In 2015, an India-Australia warm-up encounter in Adelaide was exclusively broadcasted in India.
While the schedule for the warm-up matches is yet to be officially announced by the ICC, it’s noteworthy that most teams, except Pakistan and England, are slated to play two warm-up games each.
With the T20 World Cup set to kick off on June 1, the warm-up matches are expected to be scheduled for May 25-26. The Indian team’s departure to New York, originally planned for May 21 post the IPL league stage, will now take place in two batches on May 25 and 26 to accommodate players participating in the IPL final on May 26.
India’s journey in New York starts with league matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States on June 5, 9, and 12, respectively. The league phase concludes against Canada in Florida on June 15, following which the team will travel to the West Indies for the Super Eight phase.
