Australia skipper Pat Cummins has indicated that the 2023 World Cup final against India on November 19 (Sunday) will be played on an Ahmedabad pitch that has been used before.
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Pitches for the World Cup have been under the scanner ever since the it was alleged that pitches had been swapped late for India’s semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai. According to reports, the game was going to be played on a fresh wicket but was later swapped to a track on which two matches of the event had been played earlier, allegedly to help India’s spinners.
Cummins has now indicated that the wickets used for the India-Pakistan clash earlier in the World Cup will also be in use for the final. According to Daily Mail, the decision was made by the ICC Pitch Consultant, Andy Atkinson, who recommended track No.5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, deeming it the freshest of the three available options.
Speaking to reporters at the pre-final press conference, Cummins said: “I’m not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm. They’ve only just watered it, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and have a look, but it looks like a pretty good wicket.”
When asked if it had been used before, Cummins said: “Yes, I think Pakistan played someone there”, referring to the only game Pakistan played at the venue, against India.
The pitch had played slow in that game in October, with Kuldeep Yadav, who picked up 2-35 in his 10 overs, saying, “Difficult wicket to bowl on, to be honest, it’s on the slower side.”
Pakistan slumped to 191 all out, collapsing from 155-2, with Ravindra Jadeja also finishing with 2-38.
Qualifying for the final, Australia looked all at sea against South Africa’s spinners at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, losing four of the seven wickets that fell in the run chase of 212 to them. The Proteas spin trio of Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj and Aiden Markram ended with combined figures of 4-89 in 28 overs at an economy rate of 3.18.
After the win, Mitchell Starc gave a tongue-in-cheek reply after he was asked whether facing the India spinners would be a concern for Australia in the final: “I guess we’ll find out when we get to Ahmedabad tomorrow and see if it’s a fresh wicket or an old wicket.”
The final will begin at 2pm IST on Sunday.
