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ICC defends scheduling of tournament

Last Updated 23 September 2012, 16:35 IST

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday defended the scheduling of the World Twenty20 as monsoon rains threatened to ruin the tournament in Sri Lanka.

“This was the only period available in the Future Tours Programme this year to conduct the tournament,” said an ICC spokesman.

“All the teams were aware of it.” The biennial tournament, being held in Sri Lanka for the first time, coincides with the traditional start of the monsoon season in the region.

The first four days of the event, which opened on September 18 and continues till October 7, stayed rain-free before bad weather affected both games in Hambantota and Colombo on Saturday.

The match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in the southern port town of Hambantota was reduced to seven-overs-a-side, which the Proteas won by 32 runs.

In Colombo, Australia were 100/1 in 9.1 overs chasing West Indies’ total of 191/8 when heavy rain forced the match to be called off in front of 18,000 fans at the Premadasa stadium.

Australia, who still needed 92 more from 65 balls to win the game with nine wickets in hand, were declared winners by 17 runs according to the Duckworth-Lewis method that decides rain-hit games.

The forecast for the rest of the tournament is for more rain.

“There will be showers at times in the western, southern and central provinces,” said meteorologist Pabodini Karunapala. “By the first week of October, we will start getting more rain.

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(Published 23 September 2012, 16:35 IST)

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