The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the pitch and outfield ratings for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024. And not so shockingly, the pitch at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York has been rated ‘unsatisfactory’. The venue had received heavy flak and was even considered ‘dangerous’. The average score at the venue turned out to be just 108, with the highest score in 16 innings there being 137.
India vs Pakistan, not that important?
The ICC hasn’t rated the pitches for all 8 matches as ‘unsatisfactory’. The India vs Ireland and Sri Lanka vs South Africa matches in New York have been rated poorly. These two were the only games that saw less than 100 runs scored in both innings. However, the ICC doesn’t think that the most important match, India vs Pakistan, had a ‘poor’ pitch. The game saw the Men in Blue defend just 119 runs, but it seems like that doesn’t concern the ICC. But the Nassau Stadium isn’t the only one being labeled ‘unsatisfactory’.
One of the biggest matches of the T20 World Cup, the first semifinal between Afghanistan and South Africa, has also been scrutinized by the ICC. The match had taken place at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and saw just 116 runs scored in the match. Afghanistan was bundled out for just 56, and after the game, Jonathan Trott, head coach of the team, lambasted it.
“That’s not the pitch that you want to have a match, a semi-final of a World Cup, on plain and simple. It should be a fair contest. I’m not saying it should be flat completely with no spin and no seam movement, but I’m saying you shouldn’t have batsmen worrying about going forward and the ball flying over their head. You should be confident in your foot movement and being able to hit through the line or use your skills,” Trott had said.
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