England coach Jon Lewis expressed his frustration about the differences in training facilities after his team’s early exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. He also criticized the ICC for allowing India to practice on the main pitch in Sharjah.
England lost to the West Indies in their last group-stage match, which led to their elimination from the T20 World Cup. This marked the first time since the 2010 tournament that the inaugural champions did not qualify for the semi-finals.
Led by Heather Knight, England came into the tournament as one of the favorites. They performed well by winning their first three matches but then lost to the West Indies by six wickets in their final group game. The Windies and South Africa had better net run rates than England.
Jon Lewis accused India of having an unfair advantage in training facilities for the World Cup 2024. He mentioned that none of the teams had the chance to practice at the Dubai International Stadium, while England had to train at the nearby academy.
“No one’s had an opportunity to train here (Dubai International Stadium). We’ve been training in the ICC Academy down the road,” Jon Lewis said after England’s elimination, according to Wisden.
While all ten teams prepared at the ICC Academy, India and Scotland were allowed to train on the main pitch at Sharjah Cricket Ground. India practiced there after their first three games at different venues. Lewis expressed his surprise and questioned the fairness of this arrangement.
“I didn’t know they did that. I didn’t know. India can pretty much do what they like, can’t they? Is that how it works?” Lewis replied.
ICC’s Response To Lewis
The ICC stated that only India requested permission to train in Sharjah, which was offered to all teams. An ICC spokesperson confirmed that every team had the chance to practice there.
“All other teams had the opportunity of training in Sharjah,” an ICC spokesperson told ESPN Cricinfo.
There are three matches remaining, including the two semi-finals and the final. Sharjah will host the second semi-final, while Dubai will hold the other matches in this major event.
