When a British news site reported on how the BCCI pressured the ICC to let them use a used pitch for the India vs. New Zealand first semifinal of the ICC World Cup 2023, which is being played in Mumbai on November 15, a great uproar erupted.
According to the Daily Mail UK, the BCCI modified the pitch for their team’s semi-final without consulting the ICC in order to accommodate India.
Pitches for ICC events are prepared under the supervision of Andy Atkinson, the governing body’s consultant, who decides which of the numbered strips on the square will be used for each game in advance with the home board.
However, as the competition nears its conclusion, the agreement has been breached, with the semi-final due to take place on a pitch that has already been used twice, potentially helping India’s world-class spinners.
The field for Wednesday’s game at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was supposed to be No 7, a brand-new surface that had never been used for any of the venue’s four group games.
ICC Independent Pitch Consultant Was Apprised Of The Pitch Change: ICC SpokesPerson
The first semi-final, however, has been changed to pitch No. 6, which has previously held games between England and South Africa, as well as India and Sri Lanka, according to a WhatsApp message circulated on Tuesday to a group of more than 50 BCCI and ICC officials.
However, the ICC has issued a statement about this problem, stating that pitch modifications are a routine occurrence. They also stated that the alteration in the playing surface was made at the recommendation of the local curator and that the ICC pitch consultant was aware of the modification.
“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,” RevSportz shared the ICC statement.
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ICC Spokesperson
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… pic.twitter.com/Ef78WpIcLm— RevSportz (@RevSportz) November 15, 2023
