Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody expressed strong disapproval of the pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad, used for the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 between South Africa and Afghanistan. Moody criticized the pitch for offering excessive lateral movement for fast bowlers and inconsistent bounce, making it unfit for hosting cricket matches. Despite the challenging conditions, South Africa managed to bowl out Afghanistan for just 56 runs and chased down the total in 8.5 overs to secure their spot in the final at Barbados on Sunday.
“You want a fair contest between bat and ball, and a consistent bounce is crucial for that. The wild variance in bounce on this pitch made it a difficult challenge for the batters,” Moody remarked during an cricbun show.
Former Zimbabwe batter Andy Flower also shared similar sentiments about the pitch, highlighting the unpredictable bounce and dangerous conditions it created for the players.
Flower noted that the pitch in Trinidad resembled the tough pitches seen during the New York leg of the competition, leading to a mismatch between the teams on the field.
He also mentioned the tough task faced by Afghanistan batting first on such a challenging pitch, emphasizing the need for pitches that provide a fair and consistent playing surface.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
@Cricbun
