The ICC prepares two pitches for WTC Final 2023 scheduled to play between June 7 to 11 in Kennington Oval, London.
ICC Prepares Two Pitches for WTC 2023 Final
Though the exact reason for this has not yet been officially revealed. This precautionary measure by the ICC is not due to any unknown or controversial reasons but rather as a backup plan for any unexpected circumstances.
The WTC 2023 final game will be live-streamed on Disney+Hotstar in India while Star Sports network will broadcast the match live in India. We have listed the WTC 2023 live-streaming details for all locations in a separate article.
Apart from viewing online, many fans worldwide tend to travel to England to watch the match live in the stadium. We have listed the WTC 2023 Final Ticket booking link for all 5 days.
The ICC’s decision to prepare two pitches is driven by an abundance of caution, given the ongoing oil protest and disruptions in London.
With concerns over possible intrusions at the South London ground, the ICC aims to be prepared for any eventuality.
If the pitch gets hampered then they will assess the pitch and see whether it is in good condition to play or not if yes they will continue playing on the same and if not then they will look at the other pitch condition and take a call on whether they can play on the other one or not.
Both the captains Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins have been taken into confidence. If both agree to play after the pitch gets damaged then they will continue and if not then the match could get called off or abandoned. Certain sections will play a crucial role depending on the circumstances that unfold during the WTC 2023 final.
In line with these measures, the ICC has also introduced alterations to the playing conditions, including a new clause (6.4) that addresses the unlikely scenario of pitch damaged before or during the Test.
Both teams have been duly informed about this potential, albeit unlikely, danger while additional security measures are being taken for the match.
A source close to the development, however, emphasized the extra caution being exercised since it is a one-match championship final. “We are preparing for all eventualities to ensure a conclusive outcome for the final,” shared a local source well-versed in the matter. Below are the points of the relevant new clause.
Clause 6.4: Changing the Pitch
- 6.4.1: If the on-field umpires determine that it is unsafe or unreasonable to continue play on the match pitch, they shall halt the game and immediately inform the ICC match referee.
- 6.4.2: The on-field umpires and ICC match referee will consult with both captains.
- 6.4.3: If the captains agree to resume play, the game will recommence.
- 6.4.4: If the decision is not to resume play, the on-field umpires, in consultation with the ICC match referee, will assess whether the existing pitch can be repaired and the match can resume from the point it was stopped. The ICC match referee must consider whether this repair would unfairly advantage either side, given the play that had already taken place on the dangerous pitch.
- 6.4.5: If the decision is that the existing pitch cannot be repaired, the ICC match referee will collaborate with the ICC to explore options for the match to continue on another pitch at the same venue, provided the ICC is satisfied that the new pitch meets the required Test standard.
- 6.4.6: If it is not feasible to resume the match on another pitch at the same venue on any scheduled day of the match (including the reserve day), the match will be abandoned (no result).
- 6.4.7: Throughout the decision-making processes mentioned above, the ICC match referee will keep both captains and the head of the ground authority informed. The head of the ground authority will ensure appropriate and timely public announcements are made.
India Squad
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akshar Patel, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper).
Standby Player: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav.
Australia Squad
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (sub-captain) Captain), Mitchell Starc, David Warner
Standby Player: Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw.
