Former Pakistan skippers Wasim Akram & Misbah-ul-haq slammed critics who took a dig at the Wankhede pitch before India took on New Zealand in the semifinal 1 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Wednesday.
The Daily Mail claimed that ICC pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, is frustrated with the fact that the semi-final between India and New Zealand was initially planned to be played on a fresh surface but will now take place on a used wicket.
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Also, it has been revealed that the pitch for the India versus Pakistan match was replaced. The fixture was scheduled to be held on pitch No.7 but ended up being played on pitch No.5.
Atkinson in a complaint email wrote: "As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC [Cricket World Cup] final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.
"Or will it be selected or prepared without favouritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?"
However, as it turned out, it was a belter of a wicket where more than 700 runs were scored as India edged out New Zealand by 70 runs to seal their berth in the World Cup final.
What did Wasim Akram & Misbah-ul-haq say?
The two legends of the sport were fascinated by the Wankhede wicket as it stayed true for the entire match. After India posted 397 on the board, the Kiwis had their tails up during the run chase but India's Mohammed Shami stopped them in their tracks with a brilliant spell that saw him become the first Indian bowler to pick up seven wickets in a World Cup encounter.
"It was a very good pitch. It was a perfect ODI pitch. It was not slow at all nor did it help the spinners. There was a factor that if the team batted first, they had an advantage. To remove that advantage they cut the grass a bit. The team which batted second also had the same conditions. Even if New Zealand had batted first, the better team would have won. The toss did not give an advantage to any team," said Misbah.
Akram seconded Misbah and agreed that it was a "fair pitch" and India were the deserved winners in the semifinal.
What did ICC say about the alleged change of pitch for the India vs NZ semi-final clash?
On Wednesday, after the India vs NZ semi-final got underway, the ICC released a statement, saying: "Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times. This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won't play well."
What is the role of the independent ICC pitch curator?
The independent ICC pitch curator works with host and their venues on proposed pitch allocations, ensuring that the decided pitch pattern is followed.
Who selects and prepares the pitch?
The Cricket World Cup 2023 guidelines for the selection of the pitch under article 6.3, state:
"Before the match, the Ground Authority shall be responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch. During the match, the umpires shall control its use and maintenance." In case of the India vs New Zealand semi-final, the Mumbai Cricket Association is designated 'ground authority.'
Rule 6.3.2.5 also states: "Access shall not interfere with pitch preparation." This relates to the physical access to the pitch area, which is limited to "ICC designated persons, the ICC match officials, players, team coaches and authorised television personnel," so as not to damage the pitch.
Who will win the 2023 World Cup?
India are the favourites for the 2023 World Cup title. The odds from Dafabet are as follows:
| Team | Odds (Dafabet) |
|---|---|
| India | 2.15 |
| Australia | 5.00 |
| South Africa | 4.75 |
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