T20 World Cup: Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri slam mid-match laser show in Kolkata

Former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri on Sunday questioned the need for a laser show during the drinks break of the T20 World Cup Super Eights clash between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

India vs West Indies: Scorecard | Highlights

India were 53 for two in pursuit of 196 when the powerplay ended and the scheduled break was taken. Truth be told, the hosts were in a spot of bother, having lost Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan without much contribution. It was a high-intensity contest where any lapse in concentration could have proved costly.

Yet, during the three-minute interval, the stadium lights were dimmed and a laser show was conducted, briefly plunging the ground into darkness. The spectacle lasted close to three minutes, leaving Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav to readjust to the floodlights once play resumed.

Both Gavaskar and Shastri raised concerns that the sudden change in lighting conditions could disrupt the batters' focus and vision.

"The laser show during the two-and-a-half or three minutes of the drinks break it's not easy on the batters, or anybody for that matter," Gavaskar said on commentary.

"To get your eyes used to the light, to get the bright lights again, you have darkness around you."

Gavaskar questioned whether such entertainment was necessary during a global tournament.

"You have a laser thing going on. This is the World Cup. And for two and a half minutes, do you need this kind of entertainment?

"In the IPL, it's fine in the middle of the IPL. Not in the knockouts, but in the middle of the IPL, that is fine. But at the moment here, in the World Cup, do we need these laser shows in the middle of the drinks break, at the drinks interval?"

Shastri echoed the sentiment, emphasising the impact on players' concentration.

"And from the players' point of view, to switch back on, is never easy. It's serious stuff."

India eventually defeated West Indies by five wickets in their Super Eights clash to seal a place in the semifinals. They will now face England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.

Despite the win, the criticism from the two former captains underlined a larger point - that in a tournament of this magnitude, cricket should remain the focus. The International Cricket Council would do well to ensure such distractions are avoided in high-stakes matches going forward.

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