NEW DELHI: Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium has come under scrutiny after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rated the pitch used for the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia as “unsatisfactory” and handed the venue one demerit point under its Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.The sanction places Gaddafi Stadium alongside Lord’s in London, where the pitch used for the opening Test between England and New Zealand also received the same rating from the ICC.
Why did the ICC penalise Gaddafi Stadium?
The decision was based on a report submitted by match referee Graeme La Brooy following the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia.According to La Brooy, the Lahore surface was too slow and low for a One-Day International, making run-scoring difficult and offering significant assistance to spin bowlers from an early stage.“It did not suit an ODI game as batters had to spend more time to settle in. It helped spin very early in the match and continued the same way throughout,” La Brooy said in his assessment.The ICC concluded that the conditions created an imbalance that was not ideal for a 50-over international contest, leading to the “unsatisfactory” rating.Lord’s also receives demerit pointGaddafi Stadium was not the only venue penalised by the ICC.Lord’s also received one demerit point after match referee Andy Pycroft criticised the pitch used during the first Test between England and New Zealand.Pycroft noted excessive seam movement, variable bounce and several deliveries that stayed unusually low throughout the match.“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions. The bounce was variable throughout as 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second.“There was simply an over-balance in favour of ball against bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft said.England went on to defeat New Zealand by 115 runs inside four days after the visitors were bowled out for 138 while chasing 254.What happens next?The ICC has forwarded the reports to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with both boards having 14 days to appeal the sanctions.Neither Gaddafi Stadium nor Lord’s had any previous demerit points before the latest ruling.
Understanding the ICC demerit points system
Under ICC regulations, a venue receives one demerit point when a pitch is rated “unsatisfactory” and three demerit points when it is deemed “unfit.”These points remain active for a rolling five-year period.A venue that accumulates six demerit points is suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months. If a ground reaches 12 demerit points, it faces a 24-month suspension from international matches.
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