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(Photo: AF/Getty Images)
The pitches for the first two matches at New York’s Nassau County Stadium during the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, as well as the one for the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Trinidad, have been rated as “unsatisfactory” by the ICC.
The verdict comes nearly two months after the tournament, which India won by beating South Africa in the final.
In those two games in New York, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 against South Africa on June 3, and Ireland was shot out for 96 by India two days later.
In the second game, a number of players from the two sides copped blows on the body as a result of the uneven bounce.
After remedial work was carried out, the surfaces used for the subsequent fixtures in New York have been rated as “satisfactory”.
However, the bigger point of scrutiny was on the surface for the semi-final in Trinidad, where Afghanistan were bowled out for 56. some deliveries rolled along the ground, while a few reared up from a similar spot.
In general, surfaces at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy were challenging.
The ICC rates pitches, and outfields, for all international games on a scale of very good to unfit.
The Kensington oval deck for the final between India and South Africa was rated “very good”.
The ICC was largely happy with the state of the outfields, with only New York and Guyana receiving “satisfactory” ratings, while the others were “very good”.
