ICC concedes New York stadium issues ahead of Pak-India clash

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) finally addressed concerns regarding the pitch conditions at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, United States during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Read more: ‘Indian batters have the tools to solve New York pitch challenge’

In a statement released on Thursday, ICC conceded that the pitches utilised in the New York stadium did not meet the required standards. The cricketing body promised that they were actively engaged in seeking a solution for the remaining matches.

The Nassau County Stadium is slated to host eight matches in the tournament, including huge crowd-pullers such as India versus Pakistan match.

Read more: T20 World Cup big upset: Pakistan bested by USA in Super Over!

The stadium is facing severe criticism from several quarters for the quality of its drop-in pitches. The pitches were prepared off-site and then in-laid in the stadium. The poor quality of the pitches means batters found it hard to score properly.

Despite efforts to better the pitches’ conditions, including rolling over the installed pitches, concerns persist regarding the pace and bounce of the playing surfaces.

Read more: ‘20000 per seat’: India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match

The ICC’s acknowledgment of pitch-related issues at the controversial stadium comes just ahead of match between traditional rivals India and Pakistan.

With the clash between Pakistan and India set for Sunday, citizens of both nations are flocked to purchase tickets, despite being oceans away from their home turf.

The ICC has set prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, with tickets in the diamond category priced at over $20,000.

The exorbitant prices also caused controversy for the ICC, with many accusing the governing body of prioritising profits over fan engagement and the promotion of the game.