Cricket World Cup storm as India reportedly switch pitch for Black Caps semifinal

Cricket World Cup semifinal: New Zealand v India; Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai; When: Wednesday, 9.30pm; Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, live updates on Stuff

First there were suggestions India asked for a slow pitch to be prepared. Now, it’s been reported Indian officials have switched the pitch for their crunch World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Mumbai without the ICC’s permission.

The accusations come ahead of the crunch match, which starts on Wednesday night (NZT) with the winner advancing to Sunday’s final against either Australia or South Africa.

Pitches at ICC events are prepared under the supervision of the governing body’s consultant, who agrees in advance what surface to use. However, the Daily Mail reported the agreement had been ignored as the tournament climaxed.

ICC consultant Andy Atkinson and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had agreed which numbered strips on the wicket block would be used in advance of each game, and an unused surface had been selected for the match between New Zealand and India.

However, according to the Daily Mail, the match will now be played on a surface used twice during the tournament, potentially assisting India’s world-class spin attack in the fifth match played in Mumbai.

A Whatsapp message was reportedly sent to 50 Indian and ICC officials, confirming the semifinal would not be played on surface No 7 after all, but No 6, which hosted the England-South Africa and India-Sri Lanka pool matches.

Atkinson was apparently told there was an unspecified problem with the original surface selected, according to the Daily Mail.

The UK publication also reported there were concerns the surface set to be used for the final, to be played in Ahmedabad, could be changed unilaterally.

While the tournament’s opening match between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad was played on the pre-selected surface, none of the next three fixtures at the venue were.

That prompted Atkinson to fire off an email to his bosses, claiming changes were being made “without proper notice or forewarning”.

The Daily Mail also reported Atkinson had recommended the final be played on pitch No 5, which has been used just once, though he learnt this week it would in fact be played on No 6, which has been used twice and would likely generate more spin.

When Atkinson asked who authorised the changes, the BCCI pointed the finger at the Gujarat Cricket Association, who pointed the finger straight back at the BCCI, claiming the requests were made directly by Indian team management.

“As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever [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,” Atkinson’s email warned, as reported by the Daily Mail.

“Or will it be selected or prepared without favouritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?”

An Indian cricket board spokesperson said: “The ICC independent pitch consultant works with the host and venues on their proposed pitch allocations and this process is ongoing throughout an event of this length and nature.”

The saga comes after the Indian Express reported that BCCI curators had been asked to shave off most of the grass on the Wankhede Stadium playing surface ahead of the game

The Indian Express said it understood that the Indian team’s ‘think tank’ had informed the Wankhede curator about their preference after the game against the Netherlands in Bengaluru.

“The BCCI local curators have formed a local organising group to look after pitches across the country during the World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) also sent its own experts to various venues for each game,” the Indian Express reported.

“A Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official confirmed that a message was conveyed to prepare a slow track before the home team reached Mumbai. ‘It won’t be a turner but the team had asked for a slow pitch. It was the main reason we shaved off the grass,’ a source said.”