‘ICC must devise a formula to decide winner’

FORMER India captain Sunil Gavaskar (left) feels the ICC should find a way to decide a winner in case the rain-hit World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand ends in a draw.

The ongoing match, at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire, has been affected by English weather with the opening and fourth day washed out completely, while play has been disrupted frequently due to bad light. Even though there is a reserve day but with no play possible for two out of the first four days, the match looks likely to end in a draw.

“There must be a formula to pick a winner in case of a drawn World Test Championship final. ICC’s cricket committee should think and then take a decision,” Gavaskar told Aaj Tak.

There is unlikely to be any change in the rules in this edition as the ICC had made it clear last month that India and New Zealand will share the trophy in case of a draw or a tie. “It seems that the World Test Championship final will end up as a draw and the trophy will be shared. This will be the first time that the trophy will be shared in a final,” Gavaskar said.

“To complete three innings in two days would be really difficult. Yes, if both teams bat really badly, the three innings could be completed.”

The former skipper urged the ICC to find a tie-breaker to determine a winner and cited the examples of other sports such as football and tennis.

“In football, they have a penalty shoot out or they have some other method to decide a winner. In tennis, there are five sets and there is a tie-breaker,” he said.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen feels that no ‘one-off’ cricket games of ‘incredible importance’ should ever be held in the UK.

‘It pains me to say it, but a ONE OFF & incredibly important cricket game should NOT be played in the UK,’ Pietersen tweeted taking a dig at the ICC for opting Hampshire Bowl in Southampton as the venue for a marquee final.

For Pietersen, the final of an event like this should always be held in Dubai, where there is minimal chance of weather related interruptions. ‘If it was up to me, Dubai would always host a one off match like this WTC game. Neutral venue, fabulous stadium, guaranteed weather, excellent training facilities and a travel hub! Oh, and ICC home is next to the stadium,’ the former batsman wrote.