ICC’s pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, recently urged the pitch curators for the ICC World Cup 2023 to create pitches that favor batting. This call was made during a meeting with the curators in Mumbai.
Having received explicit guidance from the highest cricket authority, the ICC World Cup 2023 is poised to showcase exceptional batting displays in the months ahead.
Addressing the pitch curators, Atkinson emphasized that they must disregard any external pressures to alter pitch conditions or trim grass for specific matches.
Notably, run rates in ICC World Cups have seen a significant rise over the years. In the 2011 World Cup, the run rate stood at 5.03. This figure increased to 5.65 in the 2015 World Cup and further climbed to 5.69 in the 2019 World Cup in England.
Continuing the trend of high-scoring matches, the ICC aims for pitches to be more favorable to batting, promoting a free-flowing run environment that excites the general audience.
The ODI World Cup 2023 is scheduled to kick off on October 5 with a match between England and New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Spanning 45 days, the tournament will culminate on November 19.
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ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Pitch Report
During the meeting, a curator shared that they were advised to prepare pitches that are 60% favorable to batting. This adjustment aims to bring about more high-scoring games, pleasing the fans.
The ICC has instructed curators to avoid excessive grass cutting on the outfield, preventing excessively fast ball travel that would deter fielders from diving and taking chances.
For the ICC World Cup 2023’s 12 selected venues, a minimum boundary size of 70 yards is mandated, with the upper limit set at 80 yards.
Host venues without sand-based outfields have received guidance to ensure complete ground coverage using covers in case of rain.