The International Cricket Council (ICC) has removed the demerit point handed to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium after an appeals panel rejected the “Unsatisfactory” rating given to its pitch for the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia on June 4.
The panel reached its decision after examining footage from the match, the Match Referee’s report and feedback from the two captains. The review followed an appeal filed by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The panel did not find the pitch excessively uneven or excessively spin-friendly and therefore did not uphold the original rating. The decision has left Gaddafi Stadium with zero demerit points.
The panel also overturned a one-point demerit penalty against Maple Leaf Cricket Ground in King City, Toronto, which had received an “Unsatisfactory” rating during the United States-Netherlands match on June 8.
The review found no excessive unevenness, seam movement or spin on that surface and determined that it met the standard for a satisfactory pitch.
However, the panel did not remove the three demerit points imposed on the same venue after the Canada-Netherlands match on June 16. Officials had rated that pitch “Unfit,” and the panel determined that the surface was dangerous and warranted the rating.
Under ICC regulations, an “Unsatisfactory” pitch carries one demerit point, while an “Unfit” pitch carries three points. The points remain active for five years. A venue cannot host international cricket for 12 months after accumulating six demerit points, while reaching 12 points results in a 24-month suspension.
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