The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not provided the official pitch and outfield ratings for the 54 T20 World Cup 2024 matches played in the United States and the West Indies.
This delay comes even though the competition ended seven and a half weeks ago. The ratings for the eight matches played in the Nassau County stadium in New York State are being closely monitored.
The fresh drop-in pitches, prepared by Adelaide curator Damian Hough, resulted in an average innings score of only 107.6 runs during the eight games played at this venue.
The cricket venue in New York has received harsh criticism from around the world for its erratic bounce and sluggish outfield. Under these conditions, even modest totals of 120 proved impossible to chase down.
The ratings for the West Indies matches are also awaited, although the attention remains on the pitch performance at the Nassau County ground.
The ICC website, which offers ratings for pitch and outfield conditions, seems to have forgotten to update this information since May 31, 2024, for both men's and women's international games.
The delay in updating pitch and outfield ratings on the ICC website, now spanning 46 days, is unusual given that during the 50-over World Cup in India, such assessments were typically posted within a week of a match's conclusion.
The match referees for the eight matches in New York were Ranjan Madugalle (3 games), David Boon (3 games), Jeff Crowe, and Richie Richardson.
Given the rating categories of very good, good, satisfactory, average, and below average, New York is likely to obtain an average or below average grade for both pitching and outfield if evaluated objectively.
With cricket included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the ICC wants to avoid any negative conclusions about pitch conditions during the global tournament in the United States.
Over the next four years, the ICC will need to build the required sporting infrastructure to facilitate cricket's Olympic debut, as New York's performance did not set a good precedent for the sport's inclusion in the Games.
(PTI inputs)
