The 2023 World Cup has taken cricketing enthusiasts by storm, not only for its thrilling matches but also for the controversy brewing around the pitches. Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has raised eyebrows by questioning the quality and consistency of the pitches. He even implied that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might be influencing the tournament.
It all began when Mohammad Hafeez, in a conversation with PTV Sports, expressed his concern about the pitch conditions. He emphasized that the pitch for the World Cup match between New Zealand and Bangladesh at the Chepauk stadium in Chennai would be a defining factor. He suggested that the pitch’s characteristics would determine whether the tournament was truly organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) or influenced by the BCCI.
Hafeez pointed out that until now, three venues—Hyderabad, Delhi, and Dharamsala—had hosted matches, and the pitch conditions appeared strikingly similar for games played there. He believed that if the Chennai pitch for the New Zealand-Bangladesh match showed any significant differences, it could raise questions about the transparency and fairness of the tournament.
“At first, tomorrow the decision will be made whether the tournament is being organized by the ICC or the BCCI. Till now, there are three venues where two matches have been played – Hyderabad, Delhi, and Dharamsala. The pitch conditions were similar and it behaved similarly in both games. If the pitch is the same in Chennai, which was used for India vs Australia, then it’s understandable. But if there are slight changes, you can understand who is organizing the tournament,” said Hafeez.
Hafeez insisted that the World Cup should run as per the ICC’s regulations and guidelines, free from any external influence. He raised a pertinent concern about the pitch conditions affecting the game’s momentum and outcomes.
“There should not be any influence, it’s an ICC tournament. It has to run as per its curators and instructions. If tomorrow’s pitch’s relevance is similar and the momentum is the same, it’s understandable. But if there’s a slight change like if it’s a batting track or different conditions, this is a big question mark and that’s my statement,” Hafeez added.
Brother, the square at Chennai (and at many other stadia in India) have pitches made with different soil now. Red-Black and mixed. As you’d know…pitches made with different soil component will play differently. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the pitches behave radically… https://t.co/FNaM3cIghy
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 13, 2023
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra weighed in on Hafeez’s claims, offering a plausible explanation for the differing pitch behaviors at the same venue. Chopra revealed that several stadia in India, including Chennai, use pitches made with different soil types. Some are made with red soil, some with black soil, and others with both. These varying soil components lead to distinct playing conditions.
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“Brother, the square at Chennai (and at many other stadia in India) have pitches made with different soil now. Red-Black and mixed. As you’d know…pitches made with different soil component will play differently. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the pitches behave radically different at the same venue throughout the World Cup,” he said.
Chopra clarified that this phenomenon is not unique to Chennai but is common across multiple stadiums in India. He underscored that pitches made with different soil components will naturally play differently, and this diversity is expected to persist throughout the World Cup.
