Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins, has expressed his concerns about potential disruptions from the ‘Just Stop Oil protesters’ during the highly anticipated World Test Championship final between India and Australia. The environmentalist group recently gained attention by causing delays for the England team’s journey to the Lord’s Cricket Ground for a Test match against Ireland, as they protested against new licenses for oil and fossil fuel exploration in the UK.
The activists created traffic disruptions near The Oval on Monday, June 5, where the Australian team was scheduled to train. However, the situation was eventually resolved by the police, allowing the team to reach the venue.
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Speaking to reporters in London, Cummins acknowledged the security briefing regarding the potential protests, saying, “I’ve heard that they’re aware of it and kind of keeping an eye out. But that’s as much as we’ve heard.” He expressed his hope that such disruptions would not occur during the final, emphasizing the importance of peaceful expressions of concerns.
ICC preps backup pitch for WTC final in case of protestor disruption
Security is on alert for India-Australia Test after recent interventions by Just Stop Oil (Reported by Cricinfo) #INDvsAUS #WTC23 #WTC2023Final— Zubair Memon (@Zubair_memon1) June 7, 2023
Cummins further emphasized the significance of choosing the right approach to convey messages and meet demands. He stated, “My view is always just there’s right ways to go about things and potentially not the right way to go about things. Whenever anyone’s got any beliefs, you just hope you take the right option.”
The World Test Championship final between India and Australia is set to commence on Wednesday, June 7, at The Oval. This will be Australia’s first appearance in a WTC final, while India will be making their second consecutive appearance in the summit clash.
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The encounter promises to be a gripping battle between two cricketing powerhouses, with both teams aiming to secure the coveted championship title. However, the concerns raised by the ‘Just Stop Oil protesters’ add an extra layer of uncertainty to the event, as the teams hope for uninterrupted proceedings and a fair contest on the field.
As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the historic clash, it is essential to balance the right to express concerns with maintaining the integrity of the game. Both players and fans hope that the focus remains on the cricketing action, as India and Australia vie for Test cricket’s ultimate glory in what promises to be an enthralling contest at The Oval.
