Wankhede 'Pitch Swap Controversy' Strikes World Cup. Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Vaughan React

Ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final between New Zealand and India, a controversy erupted over allegations of a last-minute change in pitch at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s instance. A report claimed that the Indian board decided to go with 'used pitch' for the semi-final encounter, while a 'fresh pitch' was supposed to be put into play earlier. Multiple former cricketers have reacted to the story, giving varied views on the matter.

According to a Daily Mail report, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, had initially stamped an unused surface to be used for the semi-final at Wankhede but the decision was later changed to a used surface. The report claimed that the pitch which would be in play on Wednesday, has already been used twice.

Atkinson even wrote an e-mail to the International Cricket Council, the report claimed. The purported e-mail, according to the Daily Mail, read: "As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever (World Cup) final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board. Or will it be selected or prepared without favouritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?"

The report also quoted a BCCI official as saying: "The ICC independent pitch consultant works with the host and venues on their proposed pitch allocations, and this process is ongoing throughout an event of this length and nature."

A report in the Indian Express also stated that the BCCI insisted on a 'slow pitch' for the