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Former England captain Michael Vaughan strongly criticized the pitch used for the first semifinal of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Vaughan described the pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago, where South Africa faced Afghanistan on June 27, as “shocking.”
The pitch’s quality has sparked controversy, particularly after the Afghanistan team was dismissed for just 56 runs in under 12 overs. South Africa then easily chased down the target in the ninth over with nine wickets remaining, further fueling debate about the pitch conditions.
Michael Vaughan criticized the pitch at Brian Lara Stadium following South Africa’s qualification for the T20 World Cup 2024 finals. Vaughan described the pitch used in the SA vs AFG semifinal as substandard and unfavorably compared it to temporary cricket venues in New York.
The cricket analyst pointed out that while pop-up pitches in New York might have some leeway for poor conditions, established venues like Brian Lara Stadium do not have such excuses, especially given ample time to prepare for such a significant match.
During the semifinal, the pitch’s deficiencies were glaring as South Africa’s fast bowlers dominated Afghanistan’s batting lineup. Vaughan highlighted how Lockie Ferguson’s impressive bowling performance (3/0) in an earlier match underscored the unsuitability of the pitch for T20 cricket.
Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz Live: “The pitch was a shocker. Absolute shocker. I mean, we’ve seen some poor pitches in New York. You can kind of understand New York dropping pitches. It’s a pop-up stadium. There’s no excuse for a pitch like that. The Brian Lara Stadium. We saw a wicket; it was where the quick bowler from New Zealand got four overs, three for none, at this same venue. Lockie Ferguson, I’ve got him now. So, it’s not a great pitch.”
Vaughan further voiced his discontent with the tournament’s scheduling, lambasting the decision to compress crucial matches into a tight schedule without adequately preparing the pitches. He stressed that for a tournament as prestigious as the T20 World Cup, it is imperative that pitches are meticulously maintained, particularly for the semifinals and finals.
Despite his criticisms, Vaughan acknowledged that South Africa benefitted from the pitch conditions, which played to their advantage against Afghanistan. He noted that South Africa, unlike some teams, did not complain about the subpar conditions and effectively utilized them to secure their place in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, set for June 29 in Barbados.
Vaughan signed off by saying, “I just think everything around this week; I just don’t understand how you go through a whole tournament, a World Cup, and then you kind of squash the most important games into a few days with no preparation. There’s no excuse for a pitch because it’s had plenty of time to prepare, and it’s just not a great serve. It’s not the pure pitch that you’d want for a semi-final, but South Africa won’t be complaining because that’s exactly the kind of pitch that you’d want to play Afghanistan on.”
