ICC holds back on pitch ratings for T20 World Cup 2024: Here's why

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is under scrutiny for delaying the pitch ratings for the T20 World Cup 2024, particularly for the matches held in New York. These games were played on the Nassau County ground, where scoring was low throughout the tournament.

Not only have the ratings for the New York matches not been released, but the ICC has also yet to provide ratings for any of the 54 matches played during the tournament, co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA.

The spotlight is particularly on the pitches used in New York, where eight matches took place, including the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan. The average first innings score at this venue was a mere 107/6, with the highest score being 137/7, achieved by Canada against Ireland during the group stages. Damian Hough, the Adelaide pitch curator, prepared the drop-in pitch specifically for the event.

Former cricketers and experts have criticized the New York pitch, labeling it dangerous, unplayable, and sub-standard due to its tendency to favor bowlers and pose difficulties for batters. Despite this, the ICC has not uploaded the pitch ratings on its official website, leading to growing frustration. Historically, the ICC has published pitch assessments within a week, as seen during the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

The delay in pitch ratings has raised questions about the preparation of the New York pitch. Drop-in pitches usually require time to stabilize, but the New York ground was prepared in a record timeframe without any prior matches. This lack of preparation time resulted in awkward bounce and challenging conditions for batters, with bowlers benefiting from the uneven pitch. Teams struggled to maintain a scoring rate of six runs per over, and in the marquee India-Pakistan match, India managed to defend a total of 119, winning by six runs.

Pitch ratings range from very good, good, satisfactory, average, to below average. Given the conditions in New York, it is expected that the pitch will receive an average or below-average rating.

Sixteen matches in total were held in the USA during the T20 World Cup 2024, with eight in New York and the rest split between Dallas and Florida. While Dallas offered good batting conditions, Florida faced poor weather, affecting the games there.

The match referees for the New York games were Ranjan Madugalle, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, and Richie Richardson. With cricket set to feature in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, there is speculation that the ICC might be hesitant to issue harsh ratings for the pitches in the USA, to promote the sport’s growth in the country.