Rohit Sharma in action for India in T20 World Cup 2024© AFP
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York has come under a lot of criticism after the T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and Ireland. During the encounter, the batters witnessed uneven bounce and it was even termed ‘dangerous’ by several experts. With India facing Pakistan at the same venue on Sunday, several reports suggested that ICC can end up rescheduling the match. However, no such thing happened and a report by The Times has revealed the “desperate remedy” that the ICC has taken to make the situation better ahead of the much-anticipated encounter.
“The inconsistent bounce has been caused by grassy veins in the track. To address this, the pitches have now been top-dressed and levelled to try to lessen the impact of the veins and the variability in the pitch. With the grass pushed in by rolling the wicket, the ball should hit a flatter surface and therefore play better. Sources at the ICC believe that while the pitches are not of the standard they would have liked, they are not dangerous,” the report claimed.
Even the ICC acknowledged the fact that the pitches have not played ‘consistently’ and promised that the match officials and ground staff were working to make the situation better.
“T20 inc [the organising committee] and the ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted,” ICC’s statement read.
“The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”
India and Pakistan have not played a single bilateral series in nearly a decade due to political tensions and as a result, their matches in international tournaments are always highly anticipated.
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