Just hours before India's high-octane semifinal clash against New Zealand reports surfaced that the Indian cricket team management had requested a 'slow pitch' for the match.
Meanwhile, Australia skipper Pat Cummins has expressed faith in the ICC and stated that his team has not encountered any pitch-related issues so far in the ongoing ODI World Cup.
"Yes, I saw that (the report)," Cummins remarked ahead of their semi-final encounter against South Africa at Eden Gardens. "Obviously, the ICC has an independent pitch curator who manages that, so I'm sure they're on top of things to ensure it's fair for both teams," Cummins said on the eve of Australia vs South Africa's World Cup semifinal.
"So far, in the matches we've played in this tournament, I haven't faced any issues," Cummins further added.
The report suggests that the initial plan for a new pitch for the first semi-final was altered, favoring the home team's spin bowlers by using a "used" surface instead. It also hints that if India reaches the final in Ahmedabad, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera is likely to have a slow pitch.
The ICC's Playing Conditions for the World Cup state that the hosts get to decide on the pitch's selection and preparation, with no specific requirement for a fresh pitch in knockout games. The semi-final at Eden Gardens on Thursday is also being played on a used surface, which previously hosted the England-Pakistan group stage game.
According to the ICC's Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, match venues are tasked with providing the best possible pitch and outfield conditions for each game. There has been no formal complaint from the New Zealand team regarding the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium, as both teams had the opportunity to examine it before the game.
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