ICC have admitted that the pitches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York haven't been up to standards ahead of the marquee India-Pakistan clash.
New York pitches under scanner after low-scoring games
The newly-built modular stadium in New York with drop-in pitches has received a lot of criticism over the past week. A total of three matches have been played at the venue, one of which was a warm-up game. All three games have had pitches with uneven bounce and at least one, if not two low-scoring innings.
Batters have also been hit on the body on several occasions, with India captain Rohit Sharma having to retire hurt after a blow on the shoulder during the India vs Ireland game on June 5.
Sanjay Manjrekar questioned the preparation of the drop-in pitches, Andy Flower called it "bordering on dangerous", Michael Vaughan labelled it "shocking", while Mickey Arthur felt it was "very poor".
ICC admit to issues
Following the widespread pubic critcism, as well as reported private complaints by teams, the ICC have finally admitted to the New York pitches being substandard.
In a statement released three days ahead of the IND vs PAK clash, scheduled for June 9 at the same venue, ICC said: "T20 Inc and the ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted."
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They have also mentioned in their statement that all efforts are being made to improve the quality of the pitches for the remaining games at the venue: "The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches."
Along with the pitches, the outfield at the venue hasn't been up to the mark either, with puffs of sand bursting out every time the ball lands anywhere on the field. ICC will have to do something about that as well if they are to prepare conditions good enough for an even contest between bat and ball.
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