The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stamped an ‘Average’ rating on the pitch used during the ODI World Cup finale clash between India and Australia, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Similarly, the pitch at Eden Gardens for the second semi-final between Australia and South Africa received an identical rating from the governing council.

Match referee Andy Pycroft evaluated the final’s pitch, while Javagal Srinath oversaw the surface in the second semi-final at Kolkata. In response to the surface conditions in the final, India’s captain Rohit Sharma and some of the support staff have reportedly communicated their concerns to the BCCI.

Facing the challenge of a slow and sluggish wicket, the Men in Blue struggled to set a formidable total, managing only 240 runs. Star players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, who had been in exceptional form leading up to the final, found it difficult to perform against an aggressive Australian bowling attack.

Despite the challenging pitch, the Australian team found batting easier under the lights. The visiting team faced a tough situation at 47/3, but Travis Head’s exceptional performance guided Australia to their sixth ODI World Cup title in Ahmedabad. Marnus Labuschagne’s steady half-century and Glenn Maxwell’s crucial contribution in the final moments sealed the victory for the Aussies.

The pitch generated a lot of discussion before and after the match. Australian media had suggested that the surface was designed to favor the Indian team, while former skipper Ricky Ponting, after the match, remarked that India’s strategy to play on a slow surface had ‘backfired’.

Interestingly, throughout the tournament, five of India’s 11 matches were played on pitches labeled ‘average’. These included their opening game against Australia, matches against Pakistan in Ahmedabad, England in Lucknow, South Africa in Kolkata, and the pitch used in the final against Australia.