October 02 Wednesday 2002
Indian media blame ICC

NEW DELHI: India's media have criticised the ICC Champions Trophy rules after India and Sri Lanka had to share the title after two attempts at playing the final were thwarted by bad weather.

The match, washed out on Sunday, had to start afresh on Monday but, for the second day in a row, India restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total only for their innings to be cut short in the early stages at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium.

"The match should have resumed from where it was halted on Sunday. That way a clear result would have been possible," The Hindustan Times newspaper said.

India had been chasing 245 and 223 in the two games.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) should learn a lesson from this result ahead of the World Cup," former Indian Test player Sanjay Manjrekar said on television. "We had more than 100 overs but still no result. If the match is continued rather than replayed, it gives you more of a chance to finish the game."

India had beaten England at the 1999 World Cup in a game that was continued the next day after being halted midway by rain. The Champions Trophy is the biggest one-day tournament after the World Cup, which will be played in southern Africa in February and March next year.