ICC Forced to Arrange Two Pitches for World Test Championship Final Between India and Australia Due to Oil Protest Threat
ICC has prepared two pitches for World Test Championship Final between India and Australia
ICC Takes Precautions for World Test Championship Final Amid Oil Protest ThreatIn response to a threat issued by oil protesters, who intended to cause damage to the pitch and ground during the World Test Championship Final between India and Australia, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken decisive measures. The ICC has made the necessary preparations by arranging two pitches at the Kennington Oval cricket ground. Moreover, keeping the threat in mind, the security has been significantly heightened. Additionally, the ICC has modified section 6.4 of the Playing Condition rule to include provisions for an alternative pitch, as confirmed by an ICC source.
Assessment of Pitch Conditions to Determine Playability in Case of Damage In the event of pitch hampering, a thorough evaluation will be conducted to determine its suitability for continued play. If the pitch is deemed to be in good condition, the match will proceed as scheduled. However, if the pitch is deemed unfit for play, officials will examine the condition of the alternative pitch and make a decision on its viability as a playing surface.
Captain’s Agreement and Umpire Protocol in Case of Pitch Damage during WTC 2023 Final
Both team captains, Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins, have been consulted and their opinions taken into consideration regarding the playability of the match following pitch damage. If both captains agree to continue playing despite the damage, the match will proceed accordingly. However, if they do not reach a consensus, there is a possibility that the match could be called off or abandoned.
During the WTC 2023 final, specific sections of the regulations will play a crucial role, depending on the unfolding circumstances.
In accordance with section 6.4.1, the on-field umpires have the authority to halt the game if they determine that playing on the damaged pitch would be unsafe or unreasonable. They will promptly inform the ICC match referee of this decision.
In addition, as stated in section 6.4.4, if the determination is made to not continue the match, the on-field umpires, in coordination with the ICC match referee, will evaluate the feasibility of repairing the existing pitch to resume the match from the point it was stopped. The ICC match referee will carefully consider whether such repairs would unfairly advantage either team, taking into account the play that had already transpired on the hazardous pitch.
Communication and Reserve Day in WTC Final, Squad Details
As part of the decision-making procedures mentioned earlier, in compliance with section 6.4.7, the ICC match referee will maintain consistent communication, providing timely updates to both team captains and the head of the ground authority. The head of the ground authority will be responsible for timely and appropriate public announcements regarding the situation.
The World Test Championship (WTC) final is scheduled to commence at 3 pm IST from June 7 to June 11 at the Oval in London, with a reserve day allocated in case of adverse weather conditions affecting the match.
The Indian squad for the WTC final consists of the following players: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).
The stand-by players for India include Suryakumar Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Australia’s squad for the WTC final is as follows: 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 (VC), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
Stand-by players for Australia are Mitch Marsh and Matthew Renshaw.
