The United States of America and the West Indies are co-hosting the 2024 T20 World Cup, and during the competition, criticism has been directed against New York's Nassau County International Stadium. Although the USA is hosting a major international cricket tournament for the first time, both players and spectators are not happy with several aspects of the event.
Cricket analysts criticised the surface at the Nassau County Stadium on Wednesday after Ireland was bowled out for 96 after India had put them in to bat. However, India's run chase was also not without incident, as skipper Rohit Sharma retired injured during the chase, just after reaching fifty. Sharma had been struck on the arm.
At Nassau County Stadium, the pitches that are being utilised are drop-in pitches. Before being erected at the location, these pitches were prepped in Florida after being shipped from Adelaide, Australia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had verified earlier in May that ten Tahoma grass drop-in pitches were manufactured in Florida.
In New Jersey, the outfield is composed of Kentucky bluegrass and is situated on sand. Because of this, the pitch often has a lot of bounce and tempo, which eventually makes it challenging for hitters to score runs and handle short-pitched bowling.
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In addition to the outfield being slower than usual, the stadium's boundaries are smaller because they adhere to ICC regulations. The straight border is 71 metres, while the bounds at both ends are 65 and 75 metres in size. The ICC specifies that the boundaries shall be no less than 60 metres and no longer than 82 metres.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that there are no intentions to move the remaining matches of the T20 World Cup, despite apprehensions over the quality of the pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Following low-scoring games between India and Sri Lanka, the pitches—which have been criticised in particular for their inconsistent bounce and preference for bowlers—have generated discussion.
Particularly in regards to player safety, India has voiced discontent with the pitches' unpredictable character. Officials with the ICC have clarified that there are no further plans to relocate matches to locations in Texas or Florida, both of which feature natural turf strips.
The much-awaited India-Pakistan match will take place on an unused field, although depending on how other pitches perform in the run-up to the match, changes may be made. Ten Tahoma grass fields that were brought in from Australia and set up in a drop-in configuration before the competition are present at the pop-up location in New York.
Pitch behaviour has grown erratic, raising concerns about player safety as many players have suffered injuries. The venue's problems have been made worse by inconsistent boundary lengths and sluggish outfield conditions.
There is still no conclusive reason for the pitch issues, despite persistent worries. According to reports, players are nervous; South Africa's hitters, concerned about injuries, chose to throw down rather than take on their own bowlers or local net bowlers.
Also Read: Top 5 Lowest Team Totals in the World Cup 2024
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