Regarding the commentary during this WTC final, I don't know who specifically appointed the commentators (whether it's the ICC or someone else), but there needs to be a MASSIVE overhaul of the commentary team for future ICC events.
Whoever thought it was a fantastic idea to have Stuart Broad, Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Shastri and Dinesh Khartik behind the microphone for this test needs to be sacked ASAP. All of them are absolute flogs that have always hated Australia and have made no secret of it. Khartik being the worst of that lot. During the 2023 Ashes, it was irritating to hear Khartik being a smartarse and chuckling in the background whenever England was doing well. One thing I will always respect Mark Waugh for was when he put Khartik in his place on-air during the 2023 tour of India, and the little bitch couldn't handle it.
Not to mention, it's absolute nauseating hearing Ian Smith, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock and Nasser Hussain all deathriding Australia in unison at every opportunity. They get paid big money to call a match. With the extreme partiality shown in their commentary, they might as well leave the commentary box, put the football cheerleaders outfit on, hold pom poms and jump up and down on the sideline whenever South Africa scores a run.
The Aussie voices don't get a reprieve either. If Matt Hayden and Mel Jones are really the two best "Aussies" behind the microphone, the standards of cricket commentary have hit an all-time low, especially Haydos. In a broadcast that's being watched around the world by millions, Haydos kept jiving about Ian Smith being fat, as well as all this other babble (that had nothing to do with cricket) in a pretentious, deep, authoritative voice. Absolutely pathetic, and he would've got clipped on the ears by Richie Benaud if he was still alive.
