New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday revealed the rating for the pitches used at different venues during the T20 World Cup 2024. The pitches used for the first two matches at the Nassau County Stadium in New York and the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad were rated ‘unsatisfactory’ by the ICC.
The drop-in pitch used at the newly constructed Nassau County Stadium in New York was criticised by many for its uneven nature. Bowlers dominated the proceedings entirely in the first two matches in New York. In the first game, Sri Lanka were bowled out for a paltry 77 in New York before Ireland were bundled out for 96 runs against India, a couple of days later.
Both matches saw the pitch generating uneven bounce, creating problems for the batters. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt against Ireland as a precautionary measure after the new ball jumped viciously and he coped with a blow on his upper arm from pacer Josh Little. The likes of India’s Rishabh Pant and Ireland’s Harry Tector were also hit by the pacers during the game.
India chased down the target of 97 runs in 12.2 overs against Ireland with 8 wickets to spare in the game. The drop-in pitches used in New York drew criticism from all corners and ICC had admitted at the time that they were ‘substandard’. The venue hosted a total of 8 matches during the T20 World Cup and nearly all matches saw the fast bowlers dominate.
Pitch used for South Africa vs Afghanistan semi-final rated ‘unsatisfactory’
The pitch used for the 1st semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa was also rated ‘unsatisfactory’ by ICC. The historic game which marked Afghanistan’s first-ever appearance in a T20 World Cup semi-final, saw them getting bowled out for just 56 runs inside 11.5 overs. Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi picked three wickets each to run through the Afghanistan batting line-up.
In reply, South Africa chased down the target in just 8.5 overs with 9 wickets to spare to enter their first final in an ICC event. South Africa went on to lose against India in the final to choke once again on the big stage and miss out on the trophy.
The pitch used for the second semi-final between India and England was rated ‘satisfactory’ while the deck used in the final between India and South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados was rated ‘very good’.
The pitches used for the first two matches at the New York’s Nassau County Stadium and the historic semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan in Trinidad in the T20 World Cup 2024 have been rated ‘unsatisfactory’ by ICC. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
