ICC to use fresh pitch for the World T20 final in Eden Gardens

Eden Gardens at Kolkata, which set to host the final of the ICC World T20 2016 final is likely to offer a fresh pitch that has not been used in this tournament so far.

ICC chief of grounds and pitches committee, Mr. Andy Atkinson, arrived at the Eden Gardens yesterday morning to oversee the pitches in Nagpur and Eden Gardens in Kolkata where the playing surfaces have behaved unexpectedly. The match played on both venues has seen the ball turning viciously

It is not confirmed that Andy Atkinson’s visit is due to the reports filed about the pitches by the Match referees of the two venues, but in ICC’s book such tracks are “not suitable for WT20 matches”.

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Atkinson was supposed to come down to Kolkata only two days before the final which is slated on April 3 but; landed two more days prior to his expected landing on Monday.

“Atkinson was asked to go straight to Eden Gardens while BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh was sent to Mumbai to oversee the preparation of the track there,” an ICC source said.

Incidentally, Cricket Association of Bengal’s chief curator Sujan Mukherjee had already decided on the pitch to be used for the finals and was preparing it for the final. But, Atkinson rejected it and selected a fresh pitch – strip No. 7 for the big day.

Atkinson has briefed Sujan Mukherjee and the local ground staff about the guidelines also gave it to them in writing. The guidelines effectively described the task of preparing the pitch for the final. Rolling and watering of the strip has already started. Atkinson is assisted by BCCI’s East Zone curator Asish Bhowmick.

The new track, however, still awaits to be cleared by the broadcasters as change of pitch would mean moving the camera and other equipments do that it doesn’t hinder with view of spectators.