PCB wins appeal as ICC removes Gaddafi Stadium demerit point
The venue had received an “Unsatisfactory” rating following the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia on June 4.
Zaid Hassan
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Zaid Hassan, a seasoned sports journalist, led Cricket Pakistan as editor for four years, shaping its coverage with insightful analysis. Now a producer at Nukta, he expands into broader storytelling while remaining a key voice in Pakistan’s sports media.
The Gaddafi Stadium now has zero demerit points.
ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rescinded the demerit point given to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium after its appeal against the pitch rating was upheld.
Why was Gaddafi Stadium’s demerit point removed?
The venue had received an “Unsatisfactory” rating following the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia on June 4. Pakistan won the match by three wickets to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
The ICC panel said the Match Referee had followed the required pitch-monitoring guidelines but found that the surface “did not demonstrate excessive unevenness or spin.” As a result, Gaddafi Stadium now has zero demerit points.
What did the panel decide in the other cases?
The ruling also covered two pitch assessments at Maple Leaf Cricket Ground in King City, Toronto. The panel withdrew one demerit point from the USA-Netherlands Cricket World Cup League 2 fixture on June 8, but upheld three demerit points from the Canada-Netherlands match on June 16.
The Toronto venue therefore retains three demerit points.
What evidence was reviewed?
For all three appeals, the panel examined match footage, Match Referees’ reports and official comments from team captains before reaching its decisions.
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