Would the game have been an ideal preparation for Virat Kohli, who has only managed to score five runs in three games? ©Getty
There was no rain but there was no cricket either. Miami saw a rare rain-free day this week on Saturday (June 15), but a game was not possible. Indian batters, who have been short on runs in this T20 World Cup, may have missed an opportunity to have some quality game time in the middle. Have they actually?
The International Cricket Council said the match could not have been possible considering the concerns over player safety. "The ICC places utmost importance on player safety," emphasised an ICC official. "While we strive for matches to proceed, player well-being is our top priority. Umpires deemed the conditions too risky, especially since the game had no bearing on the tournament's outcome."
The main issue was wet patches on the field. According to match officials, there was water beneath certain areas, potentially posing a risk of players sustaining ankle injuries or twisted knees just before the crucial Super 8s stage. If the ground had been covered, as is a common practice in Sri Lanka and many venues in India, the match might have gone ahead. However, cricket infrastructure in the US is very primordial.
Complicating matters was the unusually high volume of rain at this time of year in Florida. The locals mention that July typically sees more rain than June, but this year, the monsoon has arrived early. Florida received almost a month's worth of rain in just one day a few days ago, making it challenging to dry the ground.
As a result, all three matches scheduled in Miami so far - Sri Lanka versus Nepal, USA versus Ireland, and India versus Canada - have been abandoned. The match scheduled for Sunday between Pakistan and Ireland also hangs in uncertainty. Sad but true, the Miami leg of the T20 World Cup is a washout.
Was India not keen to play for the fear of injury? They did not have a say and both Indian and Canada team management said that they were disappointed the game did not go ahead but not surprised by the umpires' call.
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