• Sportzyverse
• T20 World Cup 2024
• 06/06/2024
• 0 Comments

The T20 World Cup match between India and Ireland on Wednesday has sparked a wave of criticism from former cricketers. The pitch conditions at Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York have been heavily scrutinized. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan led the chorus of disapproval, citing safety concerns for players due to the pitch’s erratic behavior.

Irfan Pathan Speaks Out

Pathan was notably vocal in his condemnation, highlighting the pitch’s unacceptable nature, especially for a prestigious tournament like the World Cup. He pointed out that such conditions would never be tolerated in India, where the venue would likely be suspended from hosting games.

https://x.com/IrfanPathan/status/1798399191133389015

“Look, we definitely want to promote cricket in America, but this pitch is not safe for players. If we had a pitch like this in India, a match would never be played there again for a very long time. This pitch is definitely not good. I mean, we are talking about the World Cup here, not even a bilateral series,” Pathan remarked on Star Sports.

The match saw India captain Rohit Sharma retire hurt after a ball unexpectedly rose from a good length and struck him on the right biceps. Additionally, Rishabh Pant experienced discomfort when another delivery bounced unevenly and hit his elbow.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan echoed Pathan’s concerns, criticizing the sub-standard surface on social media. Vaughan emphasized the detrimental impact such pitches have on the players’ efforts and the integrity of the World Cup.

“Trying to sell the game in the states is great .. love it .. but for players to have to play on this sub standard surface in New York is unacceptable .. You work so hard to make it to the WC then have to play on this,” Vaughan posted on X.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer also took to social media to express his dissatisfaction, sarcastically suggesting that the pitch seemed more appropriate for Test cricket rather than T20.

“This is an excellent pitch in New York. Provided the idea was to get the American audience hooked on to Test cricket disguised as T20,” Jaffer posted on X.

Player Safety and Quality of Cricket in Question

The poor pitch conditions and slow outfield have become major talking points, raising significant concerns over player safety and the quality of cricket being showcased. The pitch’s unpredictable bounce posed a considerable risk, as evidenced by the injuries to key Indian players during the match.

Rohit Sharma, after retiring hurt, provided an update on his injury, stating that his arm was “just a little sore” but indicating that it wasn’t serious. Nonetheless, the incident underscored players’ potential hazards on such a surface.

Also read ICC Maintains Venue Despite Pitch Concerns at T20 World Cup in New York

As the T20 World Cup progresses, the criticism from prominent former cricketers like Irfan Pathan, Michael Vaughan, and Wasim Jaffer underscores the urgent need for better pitch standards in international tournaments. Ensuring player safety and maintaining the quality of cricket are paramount, especially when promoting the sport in new regions like the United States.

With India set to take on Pakistan at the same venue on June 9, all eyes will be on the pitch conditions and whether improvements are made to provide a safer and more competitive environment for the players.