Har baar ek hi desh ka neutral venue ban jana, jabki doosre teams ne bhi apni jagah banayi hai, thoda unfair lagta hai. Pat Cummins, Australia ke captain, ne bhi is baare mein bola hai ki WTC champions ko agle edition ka final host karna chahiye. Yeh idea naya nahi hai, lekin isme dam hai. Jab Australia ne 2023 mein India ko hara kar WTC title jeeta tha, toh kya wajah hai ki agla final Australia mein nahi khela gaya? Neutral venue ka concept acha hai, lekin har baar England ka venue kyun?
Ab thodi si baat cricket ke itihas ki. 2003 ke Cricket World Cup ka final yaad hai? Australia ne South Africa ke Johannesburg mein India ko haraya tha. Us match mein Ricky Ponting ka shandaar 140 run ka score ab bhi yaad kiya jata hai. South Africa ne us waqt hosting ka mauka diya tha kyunki woh ek vibrant cricket nation hai aur uska apna ek alag atmosphere tha. Usi tarah, jab 2011 mein India ne World Cup jeeta, toh final Mumbai ke Wankhede Stadium mein khela gaya. MS Dhoni ka woh iconic six ab bhi har cricket fan ke dil mein basta hai. Yeh matches isliye memorable hain kyunki venue ne bhi ek bada role play kiya. Agar WTC final bhi champion team ke ghar mein hota, toh shayad ek naya excitement aur local flavor add hota.
Cummins ka point ekdum sahi hai – champion team ko hosting ka haq milna chahiye. Yeh na sirf unki jeet ka celebration hota, balki cricket ko globally promote bhi karta. Socho, agar 2023 ke baad Australia mein final hota, toh MCG ya SCG jaisa iconic venue ek alag hi jadoo jama deta. Ya phir, agar South Africa jeet jati hai 2025 mein, toh Cape Town ka Newlands Stadium kitna sundar dikhayi deta. Neutral venues mein consistency hai, lekin jab baat dil se dil tak jati hai, toh ghar ka maidan apna alag hi rang dikhata hai. Isse fans ko bhi apni team ke sath ek emotional connect milta, jo England ke Lord’s mein shayad utna nahi hota, kyunki wahan dono teams ke liye crowd neutral hi rehta hai.
Aur yeh bhi dekhna zaroori hai ki hosting ka mauka cricket ke development ke liye kitna important hai. Jab West Indies ne 1975 aur 1979 mein World Cup finals host kiye, toh Caribbean cricket ka ek alag hi charisma duniya ke samne aaya. Clive Lloyd ke leadership mein unki team ne na sirf jeet hasil ki, balki cricket ko apne culture se jod diya. Aaj WTC final agar champion team ke desh mein hota, toh shayad chhote cricket nations jaise New Zealand ya Sri Lanka ko bhi apna talent dikhane ka mauka milta. 2021 mein New Zealand ne India ko hara kar WTC jeeta tha – agar agla final Auckland ya Christchurch mein hota, toh Kane Williamson aur unki team ke liye kitna bada moment hota!
Lekin yahan ek problem bhi hai. Har baar champion team ke ghar final karna shayad practical nahi. Logistics, weather, aur infrastructure ke challenges hote hain. Jaise, agar Sri Lanka champion banta, toh kya unke venues bade crowds aur international broadcast ke liye ready hote? Ya phir, agar India jeet jati, toh kya neutral venue ka concept khatam ho jata, kyunki India mein home advantage bahut bada hota hai? Cummins ka idea dil ko chhoota hai, lekin iske liye ICC ko ek balanced system banane ki zarurat hai. Tab tak, Lord’s hi final ka ghar bana rahega, aur yeh baat thodi si khali pan chhod jati hai. Cricket ke is bade stage ko aur bhi memorable banane ka mauka shayad haath se nikal raha hai.
