The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday released the pitch ratings for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which took place across the West Indies and the USA. The report, covering all 52 completed matches, revealed that three pitches—two in the USA and one in the West Indies—were deemed ‘unsatisfactory,’ while the majority received ‘satisfactory’ or higher ratings.
The Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York, which hosted eight group-stage matches, came under particular scrutiny. The ICC rated the pitches for the Sri Lanka vs South Africa and India vs Ireland matches as ‘unsatisfactory.’ These games were the first to be played at the venue, with the teams struggling to cope with the challenging conditions. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 against South Africa, while Ireland managed just 96 against India. The highest score at the venue during the tournament was 137-7, made by Canada against Ireland.
The issues at the Nassau County Stadium extended beyond just these two matches, though they were the most severe. The drop-in pitches at the venue were criticized for their uneven bounce, which led to player injuries, including a blow to Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s hand during the India-Ireland match. Despite these challenges, the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on June 9, which saw Pakistan bowled out for 119 and India narrowly winning by 113-7, received a ‘satisfactory’ rating for both the pitch and the outfield.
India vs Pakistan in New York ‘satisfactory’
The pitch for the India-Pakistan match at the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York narrowly avoided an “unsatisfactory” rating, with the ICC instead deeming both the pitch and the outfield as “satisfactory.” This highly anticipated clash, held on June 9, ended in a low-scoring affair, with India securing a narrow victory. Pakistan was bowled out for 119, and in response, India managed only 113-7 in their 20 overs, resulting in Pakistan’s elimination from the tournament. Throughout the competition, the drop-in pitches at Nassau County Ground were under close scrutiny, as their uneven bounce caused significant challenges, even leading to player injuries.
Afghanistan-South Africa semi ‘unsatisfactory’
Another pitch that faced criticism was used in the Afghanistan-South Africa semi-final at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad on June 26. The Proteas’ pace attack dominated the game, dismissing Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs in just 12 overs—their lowest T20I score and the lowest total ever recorded in a men’s T20 World Cup semi-final. South Africa then easily chased down the target in 8.5 overs, securing their first final appearance. Speaking after the match, Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott said: “That’s not the pitch that you want to have a match, a semi-final of a World Cup, on plain and simple. It should be a fair contest.
Overall, the ICC rated 31 pitches as ‘satisfactory’ and 18 as ‘very good,’ providing a balanced view of the playing conditions across the tournament. However, the negative assessments of the Nassau County Stadium and the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium have raised concerns about the preparedness of these venues for future international competitions.
