New York, Trinidad World Cup pitches rated 'unsatisfactory' by ICC

The pitches used in the first two matches of the ICC T20 World Cup in New York along with a pitch used for the semifinal between Afghanistan and South Africa in Trinidad have been rated as unsatisfactory by the International Cricket Council.

The ICC released pitch ratings for all 52 completed matches of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, held in June between the West Indies and the USA. The global cricket body rated three pitches as 'unsatisfactory'—two in the USA and one in the West Indies.

The verdict comes nearly two months after the tournament, which India won by beating South Africa in the final.

The Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York, which hosted eight group-stage matches, came under particular scrutiny.

The ICC rated the pitches for the Sri Lanka vs South Africa and India vs Ireland matches as 'unsatisfactory.' These games were the first to be played at the venue, with the teams struggling to cope with the challenging conditions. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 against South Africa, while Ireland managed just 96 against India. The highest score at the venue during the tournament was 137-7, made by Canada against Ireland.

The drop-in pitches at the venue were criticized for their uneven bounce, which led to player injuries, including a blow to Indian captain Rohit Sharma's hand during the India-Ireland match. Despite these challenges, the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on June 9, which saw India bowled out for 119 and Pakistan losing by a narrow margin of six runs, received a 'satisfactory' rating for both the pitch and the outfield.

Another pitch that faced criticism was used in the Afghanistan-South Africa semi-final at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad on June 26. The Proteas' pace attack dominated the game, dismissing Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs in just 12 overs—their lowest T20I score and the lowest total ever recorded in a men's T20 World Cup semi-final. South Africa then easily chased down the target in 8.5 overs, securing their first final appearance.