Reason why Cricket cannot be played in closed stadiums to save matches from rain

Unlike other sports, cricket has to do a lot with the surface of the ground, the 22 yards, on which the match is being played. That’s the whole point of the game. Teams while playing in England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand expected pace, swing and bounce.

The subcontinent conditions are in complete contrast. The ball spins and says low because of the surface. To become the number one ranked team in cricket, consistency in different conditions is required.

Further, the game involves batters who are capable of hitting gigantic sixes. What happens in case the ball hits the ceiling of the closed-roof stadium? Not only will it call for some major changes in rule, it can also cause injury to the players.

The only cricket stadium in the world with a retractable roof is Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium. Big Bash matches are played here and there were calls to host matches here during the T20 World Cup 2022 to avoid important group stage matches to be abandoned.

The ICC did not favour the decision. However, as per the BBL rules, the batting is awarded with six runs if shots from batters hits the roof. Ashton Turner was awarded a six after one of his shots ended up hitting the ceiling.

Also, building such stadiums is a very costly affair. As per estimates, double the amount would be needed to build a retractable closed-roof stadium. In the absence of natural lights, conducting matches in these stadiums would also dent the pockets of the boards and organisers heavily.