Apex Cricket Council rate pitches for semi-finals and finals of ODI World Cup

India suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of Australia in the  ODI World Cup 2023  finals at the huge Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Many cricket analysts blamed the sluggish pitch for India's downfall. The nature of the wicket made the game lopsided in favor of the team who were batting second. The wicket got better after sun set with heavy dew, nullifying the Indian spinners.

The Apex Cricket Council after their assessment categorized the pitch as 'average' where the match referee from Zimbabwe rated the outfield of the Narendra Modi Stadium as 'Very Good'. The "average" rating raises questions about the pitch's suitability for such a high-stakes encounter. 

Pycroft's positive evaluation of the outfield adds an element of perplexity to the overall assessment. The pitch's sluggish nature contributed to a slower pace and made the shot execution more challenging, impacting the overall dynamics of the game. The wicket used in the 2nd semi-final between Australia and South Africa in Kolkata was also given an 'Average' rating by the Apex Cricket Council.

Slow wickets were a trend in India’s big matches in World Cup

Interestingly, the pitches used in India's league match against South Africa, England, Pakistan, and Australia in Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Chennai respectively, also received an "average" rating from the Apex Cricket Council. 

It gives fuel to the theory that India used their influence in the Apex Cricket Council to play on slow pitches against strong teams to support their spinners which backfired in the finals and it tilted the match in favour of Australia. Contrary to the trend, the Wankhede Stadium pitch, where India faced New Zealand in the semifinals, received a 'good' rating. 

Media reports surfaced before the semi-finals reported that the semi-final pitch was shifted from a fresh pitch to a used pitch which created a controversy just before the big game.