ICC clears air around Wankhede pitch controversy
November 15, 2023 04:42 pm
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has come out clarifying the controversy around the semi-final between India and New Zealand being played on a used pitch at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The game is being hosted on Pitch 6 of the stadium, which is off-centre and has hosted two matches earlier in the competition, including the one where India triumphed over Sri Lanka by 302 runs.
“Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times. This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won’t play well,” an ICC spokesperson touched upon the entire issue.
The ICC Playing Conditions of the World Cup dictate that the relevant ground authorities are responsible for the selection and subsequent preparation of a pitch. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is the concerned body in this case. The ICC also has an independent pitch consultant Andy Atkinson working with the local ground staff.
British tabloid Daily Mail mentions in a report that Atkinson is unhappy with the change of pitches. “As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC (Cricket World Cup) final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board,” Atkinson is reported to have said in an email to the ICC.
It must be noted that ICC does not mandate knockout matches to be played on fresh pitches.
Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was under fire after claims emerged they had switched out the pitch for their side’s semi-final against New Zealand, without the ICC’s permission.
ICC event pitches come under the supervision of the governing body’s consultant, Essex-born Andy Atkinson, who is credited as having a “greater knowledge of cricket pitches around the world than anybody else on the planet.”
Atkinson comes to an agreement with the home cricket board as to which of the numbered pitches on the square are to be used in each game.
However, Australian media reported that the agreement has been ignored on the eve of the tournament’s climax. The pitch used in the first semi-final in Mumbai has already been used twice, with the narrative it could assist India’s strong spin bowling line-up as they seek a fourth World Cup final appearance at their home tournament.
Wankehde Stadium plays host to the first semi-final and the pitch that was agreed to be used No 7 - a fresh and unused wicket so far this World Cup.
However, a WhatsApp message had been circulated to a group of more than 50 BBCI and ICC officials that confirms the first semi-final would be played on pitch No 6 - a pitch that has already staged two matches this tournament.
It was understood that Atkinson was informed of an unspecified issue with pitch No 7 - but that he did not share the sentiment.
Concerns had arisen that the pitch to be used for the final in Ahmedabad may also be changed.
-with inputs from CNBC TV18 and NZ Herald
