Explainer: Can ICC Change Pre-Agreed Pitches For Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals And Finals? Did BCCI Influence Swap Of Surface In IND Vs NZ Clash?

On the morning of India Vs New Zealand semi-final of Cricket World Cup 2023, the western media reported that that they had a leak mail from ICC’s indepedent pitch guide Andy Atkinson was pissed off by the truth that pitches have been modified all through the the World Cup, not sticking to the pre-agreed plans. He additionally fears that the floor for the ultimate in Ahmedabad will likely be ready to favour the house nation. 

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The Daily Mail quoted worrds from Atkinson’s leaked mail: “(Ahmedabad) will be the first ever ICC CWC 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.”

After these experiences had been carried out by many publications, the Board of Control and Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian staff managemend headed by Rahul Dravid had been accused of ‘dishonest’. Many former Pakistan and Australian captains stated that recent pitches needs to be used within the knockout phases and never those which have been used earlier than. 

A World Cup semi needs to be performed on a recent pitch .. It’s so simple as that .. https://t.co/dRf6rlTO2O— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) November 15, 2023

The common criticism was that India had been making an attempt to win the knockouts and the ultimate on the sluggish observe. All these claims went to the dustbin because the Mumbai’s ‘used’ floor produced  greater than 700 runs within the 1st semifinal. 

ESPNcricinfo reported that the pitch quantity 7 (recent) was for use however in a last-minute change, pitch quantity 6 was used, on which two video games (England vs South Africa and India Vs Sri Lanka) had been performed earlier within the World Cup. 

The incontrovertible fact that India scored practically 400 runs after which in reply New Zealand ended up with 327 on the board, in a match that noticed 98.5 overs bowled with none uneven bounce signifies that all these fears had been false. 

Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik, Moin Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, 4 former Pakistan captains, had raised concern after studying the experiences within the morning cricket present on A Sports. But later within the day, they felt that there was no foulplay and that curators might have modified the pitch from quantity 7 to six to make sure that each groups get the identical enjoying situations. 

The Mumbai tracks haven’t been too variety to the chasing sides. The curators will need to have considered delivering the pitch which is sweet for batting even within the second innings. Eventually, the precise name appears to have been taken. Malik concurred with this view, saying New Zealand was within the chase all through within the second innings.

Can BCCI or every other host nation make the pitch as per their selection?

No. They can not. World Cups, Champions Trophy are ICC tournaments and the governing physique, with a impartial stance, prepares the pitches. The ICC’s Playing Conditions for the World Cup says the related ‘floor authority’ is “responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch” earlier than any given sport within the event. 

In the 1t semi-final, the ‘floor authority’ was Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In the 2nd semifinal between South Africa and Australia, it is going to be Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). The ICC even have an impartial pitch guide, Andy Atkinson, who works alongside native groundstaff. ICC, clarifying their stance on the pitch controversy forward of the first semi-final, said that Atkinson was clearly instructed prematurely that pitch 6 will likely be used with none doubt that it’ll not be honest for each the edges. The governing physique additionally clarified that pitch rotations are frequent in the direction of the tip of a protracted event.

“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,” stated the ICC launch. 

One different occasion when used pitches had been used was as latest as T20 World Cup 2023 when Adelaide Oval and Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) hosted the semifinals on used pitches.