MUMBAI: In a major case for embarrassment for the game’s governing body, the International Cricket Council has given an “unsatisfactory” rating to the first two matches of the men’s T20 World Cup 2024 held at New York’s Nassau County Stadium, as well as the one for the semifinal between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba.
To make it worse, the ICC‘s ratings have come nearly two months after the tournament, which India won by beating South Africa in the final at Barbados on June 29.
Interestingly, the pitch for the India versus Pakistan match at New York, where India won by six runs after being skittled out for just 119 in 19 overs, has been rated as “satisfactory.” India had restricted Pakistan to 113 for seven in 20 overs.
In the first match of the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, which was played on June 3, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 in 19.1 overs by South Africa, while on June 5 at the same venue, Ireland were skittled out for 96 in just 16 overs by India, who themselves too found batting to be tough. Quite a few batsmen copped blows on the body due to the extremely uneven and dangerous bounce. Ireland batsman Harry Tector was left writhing in pain after being struck on the finger by a vicious Jasprit Bumrah bouncer, while Indian captain Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt as a precautionary measure after being hit on the upper arm by Ireland’s left-arm pacer pacer Josh Little. India’s ‘keeper-bat Rishabh Pant too was struck on the body by Little.
With the matches being played at a modular venue especially prepared in just five months for the T20 World Cup, the ICC was using drop-in pitches, which were prepared by Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough. New York hosted eight of the 16 USA games in two weeks.
After the India versus Ireland match, the ICC had acknowledged that the pitches for the first two matches in New York had been substandard and said that it was striving to “remedy” the issue for the remaining matches of the tournament at the venue. “The pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted. The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches,” The ICC had stated.
The pitch for the semi-final at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, where Afghanistan was shot out for just 56 in 11.5 overs by South Africa, was particularly poor, with many batsmen on both sides copping hits due to the uneven bounce on offer.
In some respite for the ICC, the pitch for the final, in which India, who scored 176 for seven in 20 overs, beat South Africa (169 for eight in 20 overs) at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, has been rated as “very good”. Also, all the outfields in the tournament have received good ratings.
Soon after the conclusion of its four-day Annual Conference in Colombo last month, the ICC had announced that it had formed a three-member committee to “review the delivery” of the T20 World Cup which was co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies last month. The committee includes three directors-former New Zealand batsman Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo and Imran Khwaja, who is the deputy chair of the ICC.
To make it worse, the ICC‘s ratings have come nearly two months after the tournament, which India won by beating South Africa in the final at Barbados on June 29.
Interestingly, the pitch for the India versus Pakistan match at New York, where India won by six runs after being skittled out for just 119 in 19 overs, has been rated as “satisfactory.” India had restricted Pakistan to 113 for seven in 20 overs.
In the first match of the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, which was played on June 3, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 in 19.1 overs by South Africa, while on June 5 at the same venue, Ireland were skittled out for 96 in just 16 overs by India, who themselves too found batting to be tough. Quite a few batsmen copped blows on the body due to the extremely uneven and dangerous bounce. Ireland batsman Harry Tector was left writhing in pain after being struck on the finger by a vicious Jasprit Bumrah bouncer, while Indian captain Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt as a precautionary measure after being hit on the upper arm by Ireland’s left-arm pacer pacer Josh Little. India’s ‘keeper-bat Rishabh Pant too was struck on the body by Little.
With the matches being played at a modular venue especially prepared in just five months for the T20 World Cup, the ICC was using drop-in pitches, which were prepared by Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough. New York hosted eight of the 16 USA games in two weeks.
After the India versus Ireland match, the ICC had acknowledged that the pitches for the first two matches in New York had been substandard and said that it was striving to “remedy” the issue for the remaining matches of the tournament at the venue. “The pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted. The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches,” The ICC had stated.
The pitch for the semi-final at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, where Afghanistan was shot out for just 56 in 11.5 overs by South Africa, was particularly poor, with many batsmen on both sides copping hits due to the uneven bounce on offer.
In some respite for the ICC, the pitch for the final, in which India, who scored 176 for seven in 20 overs, beat South Africa (169 for eight in 20 overs) at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, has been rated as “very good”. Also, all the outfields in the tournament have received good ratings.
Soon after the conclusion of its four-day Annual Conference in Colombo last month, the ICC had announced that it had formed a three-member committee to “review the delivery” of the T20 World Cup which was co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies last month. The committee includes three directors-former New Zealand batsman Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo and Imran Khwaja, who is the deputy chair of the ICC.
