India vs Pakistan: The upcoming T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan, scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, has been the subject of intense scrutiny. The reason? The pitch has been labelled as ‘dangerous’.
India vs Pakistan: Criticism at New York Pitch
The Nassau County track faced heavy criticism after Sri Lanka was folded for just 77 runs in a low-scoring match against South Africa. The uneven bounce of the pitch led to an injury to India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, during a match against Ireland. Struck on his forearm, Sharma had to retire hurt.
The pitch’s condition led to former England coach, Andy Flower, describing it as “bordering on dangerous”. He noted that the ball was skidding along the ground from a length from both ends, tearing up and hitting players on the thumb, gloves, and helmet.
In response to the criticism, the International Cricket Council (ICC) acknowledged the issues with the track and stated that they were striving to “remedy” the situation for the remaining matches. The 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.”
Plenty of smiles at India training in New York on Friday ahead of their #T20WorldCup match against Pakistan, with a player from a rival camp making a surprise visit 👀 pic.twitter.com/P1waTuAgqp
— ICC (@ICC) June 8, 2024
A report revealed that in a desperate measure not to move the India-Pakistan game away from New York, the organizers levelled the pitch using a roller. This action aimed to push back the grassy veins causing the uneven bounce and flattening out the surface. The hope is that this will allow the ball to hit the surface flatter and hence play better.
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