Wankhede pitch controversy strikes WC semis

India Captain Rohit Sharma (left) inspects the pitch  

By Champika Fernando in Mumbai  

Controversy surrounded the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s Cricket Tournament between India and New Zealand as reports emerged that the pitch for yesterday’s game at the Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai was switched.  

It is understood that the semi-final was initially supposed to be on Pitch 7, the unused centre strip of the pitch block. But it was shifted to No. 6, a surface which was used for two first-round games of the tournament - South Africa’s 229-run win over England on October 21, and India’s 302-run victory over Sri Lanka on November 2.  

According to ESPNcricinfo, the change represented a late deviation from the pitch allocation devised before the World Cup. The website said “6-8-6-8-7 was the planned rotation at Wankhede. 6-8-6-8 is what has been used so far.”  

However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) explained the circumstances that led to the deviation from the original plan of playing the semi-final on a fresh surface.  
“Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length and have 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,” an ICC spokesman said.  

According to the ICC’s Playing Conditions for the World Cup, the relevant ‘ground authority’ is ‘responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch’ before any given match - in this case, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).  

The ICC also has an Independent Pitch Consultant, Andy Atkinson, who works alongside local ground staff.  

While there is no requirement for knock-out fixtures to be played on fresh pitches, it is expected that the best possible pitch and outfield conditions are presented for each match.  
In the past, semi-finals of the ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup have been played on both fresh and used pitches.  

The British-based Daily Mail reported that Atkinson has become frustrated by changes to pre-agreed plans throughout the World Cup and that in a leaked email has expressed his concerns regarding the pitch for the final in Ahmedabad.  

Atkinson’s email warns: “As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC [Cricket World Cup] semi-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?” he said further.