Is the New York pitch good for cricket?

In the first World Cup match held at Eisenhower Park near New York, South Africa outclassed Sri Lanka on a pitch that received criticism for its suitability for T20 cricket.

Choosing to bat first in unfamiliar conditions, Sri Lanka struggled to find their footing and were bundled out for a meagre 77 runs, with Anrich Nortje leading South Africa's bowling attack with figures of four for seven. Despite typically aggressive batsmen like Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka failed to mount a substantial total.

South Africa's victory seemed inevitable from the outset, and they comfortably chased down the target with four wickets in hand and ample deliveries to spare. However, run-scoring remained challenging, as evidenced by Tristan Stubbs' laborious innings of 13 off 28 balls.

Criticism was directed at the pitch, with former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis labelling it as "spicy" and former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressing that it was not conducive to T20 cricket. Broadcaster Harsha Bhogle also questioned the suitability of such conditions for introducing cricket to a new audience.

The production of the drop-in pitch was overseen by renowned groundsman Damian Hough, but concerns remain about its ability to facilitate stroke play. With India set to face Pakistan at the same ground on Sunday, all eyes will be on whether adjustments are made to enhance the pitch's playability.

South Africa captain Aidan Markram acknowledged the challenges posed by the difficult wicket, emphasising the need to adapt and find ways to score runs despite the conditions.