“Who is organizing the tournament?” – Mohammad Hafeez raises finger at BCCI for difference in 2023 World Cup pitches ahead of IND vs PAK showdown
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez was shocked to witness the changes in Chennai’s pitch for the 2023 World Cup matches on Friday, October 13. The 42-year-old pointed out the difference in Chepauk's pitch for two games between India and Australia and Bangladesh versus New Zealand.
In a picture shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), Hafeez shared screenshots of pitches in Chennai for two different games. The pitch looked completely different, with more roughs to aid the spinners for India vs Australia, which the hosts won by six wickets.
Hafeez also shared a video where he pointed out similarities in pitches for the first two games in Hyderabad, Delhi, and Dharamsala. He now wants the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to offer a similar pitch as the opening World Cup game between England and New Zealand, which the latter won by nine wickets. Hafeez told PTV Sports:
“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.”
He continued:
“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.”
India and Pakistan are in tremendous form ahead of 2023 World Cup showdown
India and Pakistan are in tremendous form ahead of the 2023 World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14.
The Men in Blue beat five-time world champions Australia by six wickets before registering an easy eight-wicket win over Afghanistan. The Men in Green, too, thumped the Netherlands by 81 runs before defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets.
India and Pakistan had last locked horns in the 2023 Asia Cup Super4, where the former won by 228 runs, courtesy of centuries from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
In World Cups, the two teams last faced off in 2019, where India won by 89 runs via the DLS method. Pakistan are trailing India 0-7 in the marquee ICC tournament.