Saqlain Mushtaq Blasted For Calling ICC 'Indian Cricket Council' And Hinting World Body May Alter Pitches To Suit India

Pakistan spin great Saqlain Mushtaq made a rather strange comment before the India vs West Indies T20 World Cup Super 8 game. After praising the Indian cricket system for consistently producing talented youngsters and maintaining a steady supply line for the national team, Mushtaq wondered whether the ICC - which he jokingly referred to as the Indian Cricket Council - would give India a pitch that suited them.

"One thing is how the pitch is prepared now. ICC... Indian Cricket Council. ICC is not some other council. Let's see what kind of pitch they prepare for this game," Mushtaq said. "Even in this, you can get a margin of 10 to 15 percent if the conditions suit your team."

The comment did now go down with most social media users.

Talking about the match in which Saqlain hinted at pitch alteration, Sanju Samson rose above the noise to produce a match-winning 97 not out as India defeated West Indies by five wickets in their T20 World Cup Super Eights clash to reach the semifinals. India will face England in the last-four match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.

Asked to bat, West Indies followed a clear attacking blueprint as they rode on Roston Chase's solid foundation before launching a late assault through Rovman Powell (34 not out off 19 balls) and Jason Holder (37 not out off 22 balls) to post an imposing 195 for 4.

In front of a packed Eden Gardens crowd of over 65,000, Samson stood tall on a night when India's in-form batters faltered under pressure. His magnificent knock helped India reach 199 for 5 in 19.2 overs.

Abhishek Sharma (10 off 11 balls) endured a forgettable outing and survived two dropped catches, while Ishan Kishan (10 off 6 balls) also fell cheaply.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (18 off 16), the otherwise dependable Tilak Varma (27 off 15), and Hardik Pandya (17 off 14) too failed to convert their starts

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