A recent news report has stirred controversy by accusing the Board ofControl for Cricket in India (BCCI) of violating ICC regulations. Thereport alleges that the Indian cricket regulator switched the pitch for thematch in Mumbai against New Zealand, a move supposedly aimed at favoringIndia’s spinners during the knockout stage.
According to the Daily Mail Sport, the controversy may persist if Indiaadvances to the final in Ahmedabad, as the BCCI could potentially changethe pitch once again.
The responsibility for pitch preparation at ICC events lies with consultantAndy Atkinson, who usually collaborates with the home board to decide whichstrips on the square will be used for each match.
However, in this case, the agreement between Atkinson and the BCCI was nothonored as the tournament entered its crucial phase. Despite plans to usean entirely fresh surface for the semi-final, a last-minute WhatsAppmessage circulated on Tuesday indicated that pitch No 6, previously used byEngland, South Africa, India, and Sri Lanka, would be the chosen venue. Anunspecified problem was cited for the exclusion of the initially plannedfresh pitch.
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Concerns extend to the preparation of the pitch for the final in Ahmedabad,prompting Atkinson to fly to the location in frustration last Friday. Ithas also come to light that the pitch for the high-profile clash betweenPakistan and India was altered.
The report reveals that the schedule for the matches did not adhere to theagreed-upon pitches, leading Atkinson to express his dissatisfaction,stating in an email to his superiors that changes were made “without propernotice or forewarning.”