Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten defended the playing surface at New York’s T20 Cricket World Cup venue on Sunday after his team lost to India in a tight, low-scoring match.
India managed only 119 runs, marking their lowest T20 score against Pakistan, yet secured a six-run victory.
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, featuring a recently laid ‘drop-in’ pitch, has seen low scores in all five games.
Despite criticism, particularly after India’s previous game against Ireland, with ex-Zimbabwe player Andy Flower labelling the pitch “dangerous” due to uneven bounce, Sunday’s game saw minimal erratic behaviour from the pitch.
“The surface wasn’t dangerous. Occasionally, a ball rose unexpectedly, but generally, it was low, making scoring tough for both sides amid a slow outfield,” Kirsten explained. He believed a score of 140 would have been competitive on this pitch.
Kirsten emphasized the unique challenge posed by the conditions, suggesting that lower-scoring games can also be compelling. “It’s interesting to see a game that’s not just about high scores. A chase around 120 can still entertain immensely,” he commented.
Following last week’s complaints, the International Cricket Council (ICC) acknowledged the subpar quality of the pitch in early games.
The ICC stated, “T20 Inc. and the ICC admit the pitches at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium haven’t performed as expected. The grounds team is working to improve conditions for the upcoming matches.”
Three more games are scheduled at the venue, with the final match on Wednesday featuring India against co-hosts USA.
