LONDON: The ICC has ignored pleas from World Cup stars to resolve the bail controversy that threatens to spoil the tournament.

India captain Virat Kohli and Australia skipper Aaron Finch joined forces to condemn the ‘unfair’ problem on Sunday.

“We wouldn’t change anything mid-event as it would compromise the integrity of the event — the equipment is the same for all 10 teams across all 48 games,” the ICC said.

“The stumps have not changed in the last four years. They have been used in all ICC events since the 2015 World Cup and in a range of domestic events.

“This means they’ve been used in more than 1,000 games — this is a statistical anomaly. This issue has always been part of the game, with the accepted concept being that it requires some force to disturb a batsman’s ‘castle’.”

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019