In 2007 cricket world cup India was placed with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bermuda in the group stages. India managed to lose to Bangladesh and exited the World Cup after the group stage itself. So is the ICC trying to make sure that a repeat of 2007 does not happen in the 2009 T20 World Cup?

In the ICC World Twenty20 2009, India is placed with Bangladesh and Ireland in Group A. Whereas Group C has Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Of these three teams one will surely not reach the super 8 stage. Agreed that India is the cash cow for cricket and its early exit can result in considerable financial losses, but is this ethically correct?

Currently India has a very strong team, hence no one is raising these sort of questions, however no one had thought that India would lose to Bangladesh in 2007 as well. It clearly looks like a case of ICC trying to be very sure that India stays around till the end of the Super 8 stage. West Indies is expendable, so is Sri Lanka, and even Australia is not a problem. But India has to be there in the Super 8. A financially sound decision, but ethically wrong!

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