The pitches used for the first two matches of the men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Nassau County Stadium in New York, as well as the surface for the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, have been deemed “unsatisfactory” by the ICC.
This assessment was made nearly two months after the conclusion of the tournament, which saw India triumph over South Africa in the final.
In the New York matches, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 77 by South Africa on June 3, and Ireland were bowled out for 96 by India two days later.
In the second match, several players from both teams were struck on the body due to the unpredictable bounce of the pitch. Rohit Sharma was forced to retire hurt as a precaution after being struck on the upper arm by Josh Little. Rishabh Pant also took a blow from Little, while Ireland’s Harry Tector was hit on the finger by a short ball from Jasprit Bumrah.
At the time, Andy Flower described the pitch in New York as “bordering on dangerous,” while former England captain Michael Vaughan labelled it “shocking.”
The modular venue in New York was completed in just five months. The ICC enlisted Damian Hough, chief curator at Adelaide Oval, to prepare the drop-in pitches. However, following widespread criticism, the ICC conceded that the pitches were below standard, with the short turnaround between matches—New York hosted eight games in two weeks—being a significant factor.
To address the issues, remedial work was undertaken ahead of the match between Canada and Ireland. Areas where grass was sprouting through the cracks were covered with topsoil and rolled to create a flatter surface. The pitches used for subsequent matches in New York, including the India vs Pakistan game, where India scored 119 to Pakistan’s 113 for 7, were later rated as “satisfactory.”
However, the greater focus of scrutiny was on the pitch used for the semi-final, where Afghanistan were bowled out for just 56. Some deliveries stayed low, while others shot up unpredictably from the same spot. Afghanistan’s head coach, Jonathan Trott, remarked at the time, “that’s not a pitch you want to play a semi-final on.”
Overall, the surfaces at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy proved challenging. The West Indies, who scored 149 and narrowly defended it against New Zealand, were struggling at 30 for 5 at one point.
The ICC evaluates pitches and outfields for all international matches, rating them on a scale from very good to unfit: very good, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. The pitch at Providence for the India vs England semi-final received a “satisfactory” rating, while the Kensington Oval pitch for the final between India and South Africa was rated “very good.”
The ICC was generally satisfied with the outfields, with only New York and Guyana receiving “satisfactory” ratings, while the rest were deemed “very good.” (GeoSuper)