Dravid justifies decision to make USA host nation for T-20 World Cup despite reports of $20 million loss

Reports had indicated that making the United States of America one of the hosts of the 2024 ICC T-20 World Cup had resulted in loss of 20 million US Dollars for the ICC. A large part of the country wasn’t aware of the game. Former Indian coach Rahul Dravid is, however, of the opinion that the investment was worth making. “It was a great effort by the ICC to take the game to the USA and expose that audience to the game. There is a huge passion for the game in the USA. It was really nice to play in the USA; some of the games were packed. Yes, in terms of facilities, it's challenging. But if you want to grow the sport and make it a global game, then you have to be at events like this and make compromises, even if it means playing at odd hours in conditions that might not necessarily be perfect,” Dravid said in during a panel discussion titled 'Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a New Era', celebrating the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, in Paris. 

Also Read: Rahul Dravid’s response to PM Modi’s enquiry leaves Virat Kohli in splits 

Concerns pertaining to the quality of the pitch were also raised during the tournament. The odd timings for the games were also questioned. “I don't think starting at 10:30am was a problem for me, honestly. We are in the entertainment business, which caters to people who want to watch the sport. I had absolutely no problem with it. As a coach, the conditions were quite even because dew becomes a factor in a lot of day-night games. The toss can become a big factor, as we saw in Australia. But for 10:30, it was not a problem; it was even-steven for both teams,” Dravid added.