Sunil Gavaskar goes hard at T20 World Cup organisers for refusing to learn from earlier mistake

Sunil Gavaskar voiced his displeasure at the T20 World Cup organisers for the DJ's interruptions during the India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final.

Updated on: Mar 8, 2026, 18:02:25 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Sunil Gavaskar was once again left miffed with what he felt was an amateurish act from the organisers of the T20 World Cup. The former India captain was not a fan of the DJ screaming ‘BOOM-BOOM Bumrah’ in the middle of the over during the second semi-final between India and England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Jasprit Bumrah was in the middle of his third over – the 16th of the innings – when England’s Jacob Bethell threatened to run away with the match. After the third ball, as Bumrah was walking back to his run-up, the DJ was in full flow, trying to get the crowd behind him. However, Gavaskar wasn’t pleased one bit and felt it wasn’t necessary in the middle of the over.

“The DJ systems are encouraging the spectators to say Boom Boom Bumrah in between deliveries. Not really sure it’s a good thing for the game. Between overs, yes, but not between deliveries. This is a World Cup,” he said on commentary.

Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah holds the door to stop Jacob Bethell in India’s game of thrones against England

Gavaskar’s criticism comes days after he expressed his displeasure with the laser show during the middle of the India vs West Indies Super 8 match, saying the sharp rays could affect players' eyesight. India, in chase of 196, were 53/2 at the end of the Powerplay, when the Eden Gardens was treated to a laser show. It went on for three whole minutes before facing Gavaskar’s ire.

“The laser show during the two-and-a-half or three minutes of the drinks break… it’s not easy on the batters, or anybody for that matter. To get your eyes used to the light, to get the bright lights again, you have darkness around you,” Gavaskar said.

Also Read: Sanju Samson or Jasprit Bumrah: Who was the true Player of the Match, the difference between elimination and title shot?

“You have a laser thing going on. This is the World Cup. And for two and a half minutes, do you need this kind of entertainment? In the Indian Premier League, it’s fine in the middle of the IPL. Not in the knockouts, but in the middle of the IPL, that is fine. But at the moment here, in the World Cup, do we need these laser shows in the middle of the drinks break, at the drinks interval?”

When it comes to cricket, Gavaskar is as old school as one can get. Nothing upsets him more than not following the basics, such as failure to convert ones into twos whenever the opportunity presents itself and keeping the bat on the ground while running between wicket.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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