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The ICC states that last-minute pitch changes are not uncommon in response to the Wankhede pitch controversy

There's buzz about the first India and New Zealand semifinal at Wankhede Stadium.

By Jayesh | Nov 15, 2023 | 2 Min Read

There’s buzz about the first India and New Zealand semifinal at Wankhede Stadium. Reports say India’s cricket board and team management, led by Rahul Dravid, pushed for a late pitch change. The game, set to occur on a new pitch, will now happen on a nearby, previously used pitch. The International Cricket Council (ICC) brushes off the issue. They say pitch changes towards the end of long tournaments aren’t unusual. They mentioned the venue curator suggested the change with the host’s agreement. The ICC’s independent pitch consultant sees no problems with the pitch’s performance.

Even with debates, there’s no outlined rules about picking out pitch strips, focusing on the hope that host places will showcase top-notch pitch and outfield conditions. Mumbai Cricket Association, taking the role of Ground Authority, is in charge of pitch choice and prep, jointly working with the ICC’s independent pitch advisor, Andy Atkinson. But, private emails show Atkinson’s dissatisfaction with the shift from the first plan to use an unused pitch. This implies that the final in Ahmedabad might be the first ICC CWC final with a pitch decided and prepped as per team management or home board’s guidelines.

There have been past instances where host countries swayed world competitions. A similar situation occurred in 2019 during the World Cup semifinal. India and New Zealand played the match, leading to questions about two British umpires handling the game and potentially biasing. While the field changed, others feel the game was still fair. Both teams had to adapt to the modified playing conditions.