World Cup in Turmoil as Wankhede Stadium’s ‘Pitch Swap Controversy’ Unveiled; Strong Reactions from Sunil Gavaskar and Michael Vaughan

Controversy Surrounds Pitch Change Ahead of India vs New Zealand Cricket World Cup Semi-final

Ahead of the highly anticipated Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final between New Zealand and India, a controversy has erupted over allegations of a last-minute pitch change made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to a report in the Daily Mail, the BCCI decided to use a ‘used pitch’ for the semi-final instead of the initially planned ‘fresh pitch’. The report claims that the pitch to be used on Wednesday has already been used twice.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, had reportedly approved an unused surface to be used for the semi-final at Wankhede. However, the decision was later changed to a used surface. Atkinson even wrote an email to the ICC expressing his concerns about the pitch change. The email questioned whether the pitch selection was influenced by the team management or the home nation board. The report also quoted a BCCI official stating that the pitch allocation process is ongoing throughout the event.

Another report in the Indian Express mentioned that the BCCI insisted on a ‘slow pitch’ for the semi-final against New Zealand. This has led to speculation about the potential impact of the pitch on the match.

Former Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar downplayed the controversy, stating that the pitch should not be a major issue for the Indian team. He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to handle any kind of surface and emphasized that the Mumbai pitch is generally good for batting.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan, on the other hand, suggested that a fresh pitch should be used for the semi-final. He believes that a World Cup semi-final should be played on a fresh pitch, without any previous use.

It is important to note that New Zealand has not raised any objections to the alleged pitch change so far. Attempts were made to reach out to the BCCI for a comment on the matter, but no response has been received yet.

The controversy surrounding the pitch change adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated semi-final clash between New Zealand and India. Fans and cricket pundits alike will be eagerly watching to see how the pitch ultimately affects the outcome of the match.

Topics mentioned in this article: Cricket World Cup 2023, New Zealand, India, BCCI, Pitch Change.