Fresh Pitch Identified By ICC For World T20 Final In Kolkata

Kolkata: The 2016 ICC World T20 final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 3, is likely to be played on a fresh pitch that has not been used in this tournament so far.

The chief of ICC's grounds and pitches committee Andy Atkinson, who had arrived in Kolkata on Monday, has asked the chief curator of Cricket Association of Bengal, Sujan Mukherjee to select a fresh pitch — strip number seven for Sunday's epic finale. The Eden pitch used in the game between India and Pakistan, that saw extreme spin and hostility alongside the Nagpur track that has been criticized of late, are not suitable for WT20 matches under the ICC book.

Atkinson went to Eden Gardens as BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh was sent to Mumbai to oversee the preparation of the track at the Wankhede, which will host the India-West Indies semi-final match on March 31.

Meanwhile, as the rolling and watering of the strip identified by Atkinson has already started, the new track will have to be cleared by the broadcasters as it would involve moving the camera and other equipment a few yards in such a manner that it doesn't block the view of spectators.  

Atkinson has not only briefed Mukherjee and the local ground staff about how to go about their job but has also given them the guidelines in writing, effectively taking over the task of preparing the pitch at Eden Gardens for the final.