Controversy Before IND vs NZ Semi-Final – Last-Minute Pitch Changes Alleged

Today the first semi-final match of Cricket World Cup 2023 will be played between India and New Zealand. The match will start at 2 pm at Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai. There has been a controversy regarding the pitch before the match, according to the report of Daily Mail, it is alleged that the India vs New Zealand semi-final match was to be played on pitch number 7, which was changed to pitch number 6 at the last moment. This will help the Indian spinners.

According to a report published in Daily Mail, a surprising case has come to light that the Indian Board changed the pitch for the India vs New Zealand semi-final without the permission of the ICC. And if India wins today and reaches the final, then the same can happen in the final as well.

Pitches at ICC events are prepared under the supervision of the governing body’s advisor, Andy Atkinson, who agrees in advance with the home board on which pitch at the Square for each game will be played.

According to reports, this contract was ignored and the semi-final at Wankhede will be held on a pitch where two matches have already been played in this tournament. It is being claimed that this is because India’s spinners will get help on that pitch.

The pitch for today’s game at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was supposed to be number 7, a completely fresh surface unused for any of the four group matches at the venue i.e. no match has been played here in this World Cup.

A WhatsApp message is circulating that the India-New Zealand World Cup semi-final match has been shifted from pitch number 7 to pitch number 6. Matches have already been organized between India and Sri Lanka apart from England and South Africa.