As the eyes of the cricket world turn towards the ultimate showdown of the ICC World Cup set for November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a cloud of concern looms overhead. ICC pitch consultant Andy Atkinson has stepped into the spotlight, questioning the impartiality of the pitch preparation for the much-anticipated final.
Recently, The Daily Mail brought to attention the apprehensions of Atkinson who had embarked on a trip to Ahmedabad the previous Friday to evaluate the conditions being set for the final. Discontent with the alterations to the pitch, which seemed engineered to cater to India’s strengths, has put the spotlight on the fair play involved in these preparations.
A report from The Indian Express further intensifies the scrutiny. It stated that for the New Zealand semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, the Indian team management made a peculiar request to BCCI curators: to significantly trim the grass off the pitch. The rationale behind this was to craft a sluggish surface that would complement the prowess of India’s exceptional spin bowlers.
India’s impressive track record on slow pitches within their home territory is no secret. Preemptively, management had pushed for the national team’s matches to be hosted on these preferred slower tracks before the World Cup had even commenced.
Under normal circumstances, ICC event pitches are prepped under the vigilant eye of Atkinson. There’s an understanding with home cricket boards on the pre-selection of the numbered strips for each game well in advance. Nevertheless, findings by The Daily Mail suggest an unsettling deviation from this for the Ahmedabed Stadium with three out of the four group games played on pitches not initially scheduled – fueling speculation about repeat occurrences should India be contenders in the final match.
Atkinson’s advice was clear – the prestigious final should take place on pitch No 5, a surface that has seen only one game so far. Contrastingly, pitch No 6 has already seen the game twice and could be considered for the final, raising suspicions that it might be intentionally chosen to amplify the Indian spin attack.
In a telling email, Atkinson’s words cast a shadow of doubt: “As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC (cricket World Cup) 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.”
He went on to contend the fairness of the selection: “Or will it be selected or prepared without favoritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?”
The incident raises pertinent questions about the integrity of the sport and whether competitive advantage is being slyly edged towards the home team. Such actions, if true, not only compromise the spirit of cricket but could potentially tar the reputation of what should be a globally celebrated event, full of sportsmanship and fair competition.
As the final approaches and tensions mount, the cricketing community awaits answers and assurances that the world will witness a battle of skills and talents on an impartial playing field. The onus falls upon the BCCI and the ICC to deliver not just a cricket match, but a testament to the honor of the game, played in the true spirit that has thrilled fans for over a century.