ICC in no mood to shift T20 World Cup matches from Nassau County stadium despite pitch concerns

Despite increasing concerns over the condition of the pitch at the Nassau International County stadium in New York for the T20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has no plans to move the remaining matches at the stadium to alternate venues.

The drop-in pitch, has heavily favored the bowlers and the uneven bounce on the pitch has even ended up injuring players. The pitch has drawn significant criticism from the experts and fans alike.

Sri Lanka was bowled out for only 77 by South Africa, and India dismissed Ireland for 96, sparking safety concerns due to unpredictable bounce and two-paced nature of the pitch.

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A BBC report indicated that the Indian team has privately expressed their dissatisfaction with the pitch conditions, citing safety worries for their batters. India are scheduled to play arch-rivals, Pakistan at the same venue on Sunday.

Despite all the concerns, ICC has stated that there are no current plans to move the games from New York to Florida or Texas, both of which feature natural turf pitches.

The New York venue’s outfield, made of Kentucky bluegrass has contributed to the pitch issues. The India-Ireland match highlighted the challenges, with balls either bouncing at ankle height or rising sharply. Players like Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant sustained injuries due to the unpredictable pitch.

Additionally, the venue’s slow outfield and uneven boundary lengths have further complicated the play. Concerns extend to the 6 drop-in pitches at the practice facility in nearby Cantiague Park. The South African batters preferred throwdowns over facing bowlers in the nets due to safety concerns.