‘Koi zaroorat nahin hai idhar matches karane ki’ – Fans react as reports of ‘Lucknow wicket’s renovation’ for ODI World Cup 2023 surface online

The wicket at the Ekana Stadium has been a matter of discussion in the last few months. In January this year, a T20I between India and New Zealand saw a close between both teams despite the Men In Blue needing only 100 runs to win. In some of the home games of Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing IPL 2023, anything above 120 runs has proved to be match-winning.

Fans, who watch T20 cricket for batting prowess, have felt bored. Meanwhile, after sacking the local curator after the T20I game fiasco, the Indian Cricket Board intervened and reportedly tried to rush the process of improving the wicket.

“Indian Cricket Board had decided to send a panel of curators to look after the pitch in Lucknow. They decided to do grassing on the square in such a short time frame. That has backfired. The pitches have stayed undercooked,” an Indian Cricket Board source told TOI.

“Indian Cricket Board curators told UPCA to redo the pitches and it was outsourced to a contractor in the first week of February. It takes six weeks for the pitches to settle down after the grassing. But it takes care and minute monitoring right through. UPCA has spent a lot on the surface but nobody really cared after the contract was handed out. Nobody really looked after the square. Hence, nothing worked,” the source said.

Lucknow Super Giants couldn’t practice at Ekana Stadium ahead of IPL 2023

“The team didn’t have any idea about the surface when they went to play the first match. In the first match against Delhi Capitals, the pitch was covered with a heavy layer of grass. Nobody could gauge how the underneath surface was. And it all unravelled very quickly,” the source said.

“Lucknow is slated to host World Cup matches in October-November. Perhaps, that forced the BCCI’s hand. They will have to renovate the surface during the off season after the IPL,” the source said.

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