'It's just wrong, you're manipulating the audience' - David Lloyd on 'fixed' India-Pakistan fixture in ICC events

The allure of the India-Pakistan fixture lies in the profound and storied cricketing heritage shared by the two nations. Their numerous intense encounters in the past, involving an array of legendary players, contribute significantly to its grandeur. Furthermore, the fervent anticipation surrounding these matches is amplified by the complex geopolitical history between the countries, rendering it a fiercely-contested and passionate clash imbued with intensity. 

However, the true charm of any event is often magnified when it occurs infrequently. The element of surprise and rarity has been absent in the Indo-Pak cricketing rivalry since their last bilateral white-ball series in the 2012/13 season, hosted by India. Since then, the two teams have invariably faced each other in every instance of major ICC tournaments - be it the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, or the 50-over World Cup. What's more, these games have occurred not in the latter stages, but consistently in the group-stages, a pattern that former English cricketer and renowned commentator, David Lloyd, has found problematic and manipulative.

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Lloyd expressed his staunch opposition to the practice of consistently grouping India and Pakistan together in major events merely for the sake of spectacle. He noted the irony in cricket's stringent stance on match-fixing, while the preordained India-Pakistan clashes in every tournament group stage go largely unquestioned. Lloyd suggested that this predetermined arrangement undermines the authenticity of the fixtures. Lloyd advocated for allowing these fixtures to occur naturally, rather than pre-scheduling them months in advance.

“You just spoke about the independence of fixtures. We talk long and hard about fixing in cricket. That's fixed. It's just fixed for a major event. I think the romance of anything like this if they do get drawn together – not that they are – but if they do, there's a romance to it. There's something for spectators to look forward to. So if it happens, then it becomes an event. The game itself is an event. You can't fix it. And that's only part of what we fix. We fix loads to stuff. In this particular World Cup, you're just trying to manipulate. It's just wrong,” stated Lloyd, in a conversation with talkSPORT.

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The scheduling and format of the ongoing tournament has been subject to significant criticism as well, particularly regarding the Super 8s stage. The teams have been allotted minimal rest periods, with some experiencing only a single day off between matches, and in the case of Australia, no breaks at all. The brief respite is consumed by travel, leaving players with virtually no time for practice and recovery. 

"It just isn't fair (to the teams)," he said. "You can go round and round and talk about forever. We're just manipulating the tournament for the benefit of a few. If you look at the TV audience in India, they would watch anything there and anytime. It is a religion. It is the be all and end all. They would watch it and so it must of such commercial value, that overrides the competition itself. And don't tell me the ICC devises it. Who does it? Whoever it is, this operating group must be told that whilst you're doing it, this must happen, that must happen and that it's a bit unfair to the teams. Come up with the best World Cup you can, you can put together for the supporter."