ICC Criticises Pitches at T20 World Cup 2024 Venues

The pitches used for the first two matches at New York's Nassau County Stadium—a temporary venue constructed specifically for the men's T20 World Cup 2024—and for the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba have been deemed "unsatisfactory" by the ICC.

This assessment was issued nearly two months after the tournament concluded, with India emerging victorious over South Africa in the final.

During the two games in New York, Sri Lanka was dismissed for 77 by South Africa, and Ireland was bowled out for 96 by India just two days later. The India-Ireland match was particularly concerning, as several players suffered injuries from the unpredictable bounce of the pitch. Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt after being struck on the upper arm by a delivery from Josh Little. Similarly, Rishabh Pant and Ireland’s Harry Tector were hit by short balls from Little and Jasprit Bumrah, respectively.

At the time, former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower described the New York pitch as "bordering on dangerous," while ex-England captain Michael Vaughan labelled it "shocking."

The Nassau County Stadium, which was assembled in just five months, featured drop-in pitches prepared by Damian Hough, the Adelaide Oval's head curator. However, the venue faced heavy criticism for its substandard pitch conditions, exacerbated by the short turnaround time between matches—New York hosted eight games over two weeks.

In response to the criticism, remedial work was undertaken. Prior to the Canada vs. Ireland match, areas where grass was growing through cracks were covered with topsoil and rolled to create a flatter surface. The pitches for the remaining fixtures in New York, including the India vs. Pakistan match, were subsequently rated as "satisfactory."

The semi-final pitch at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, where Afghanistan was bowled out for just 56, attracted even more scrutiny. The surface produced deliveries that either stayed low or bounced sharply from the same spot, leading Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott to criticise the pitch as unsuitable for a semi-final.

Overall, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy's pitches were difficult for teams. In one match, the West Indies, who eventually scored 149 and narrowly defended it against New Zealand, found themselves struggling at 30 for 5 at one point.

The ICC evaluates pitches and outfields for all international matches on a scale ranging from very good to unfit: very good, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. The surface at Providence for the India vs. England semi-final was rated "satisfactory," while the pitch at Kensington Oval for the final between India and South Africa received a "very good" rating.

In terms of outfield conditions, the ICC was generally pleased, with only New York and Guyana receiving "satisfactory" ratings, while all other venues were rated as "very good."