The International Cricket Council (ICC) has defended the change of pitch for the Men's ODI World Cup 2023 semifinal between India and New Zealand at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Reports had emerged suggesting that the match would be played on a used pitch rather than the fresh one initially designated for the semi-finals.
The controversy sparked speculation that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had, in consultation with the local curator and Indian team management, changed the pitch to one already used for two matches. The dry and slow nature of the pitch seemed to favor the Indian batters.
The ICC clarified that changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of a lengthy event, and this change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with the host. The ICC's independent pitch consultant was aware of the change and had no reason to believe the pitch wouldn't play well.
The BCCI also explained that the pitch change occurred due to a technical issue with the originally earmarked fresh pitch for the semifinal. The ICC's Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process does not specify that knockout matches must be played only on fresh pitches, emphasizing the expectation that venues present the best possible pitch and outfield.
(With Agency Inputs)
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