The Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand was memorable in more ways than one.
Virat Kohli scored his 50th ODI century, Mohammad Shami picked up seven wickets, more than 700 runs were scored, and the hosts stormed into the final following a 70-run win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
But there was another development that grabbed the headlines. And it threatens to cast a shadow over the knockout stages of the tournament.
Ahead of the semi-final in Mumbai, it emerged that the playing surface had been 'switched' to a used pitch, instead of a fresh one.
Apparently, a fresh centre pitch was to be deployed for the knockout game but the match was moved to a surface that had been utilised earlier in the tournament.
This led to a furore as it was seen as a ploy by hosts India to gain an advantage by playing on a worn-out pitch. A fresh surface at the Wankhede could have helped New Zealand as it provides the most assistance to fast bowlers in the country, especially under lights.
What are the rules regarding pitches?
The ICC's tournament guide for the World Cup states that "the Ground Authority shall be responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch".
That means the Mumbai Cricket Association had the primary responsibility of preparing the surface, and ensuring it was up to standards for an international match.
What caused controversy is a supposed leaked email from the ICC's independent pitch curator who expressed frustration at the late change of pitch.
However, the ICC issued a statement saying that changing pitches is common practice and that all relevant authorities were aware of it.
"Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times," an ICC spokesperson said.
"This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won't play well."
As it turned out, the pitch produced a high-scoring match where more than 700 runs were scored, pacer Shami picked up a seven-wicket haul and three centuries were hit.
Since there is no stipulation on providing a fresh surface for knockout matches, there is a chance of a 'used' wicket being chosen for the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday as well.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the semi-finals of the last ODI World Cup in 2019 in England were played on fresh wickets.
What do the players say?
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said having fresh surfaces in a knockout match should be the standard practice.
"A World Cup semi should be played on a fresh pitch ... It’s as simple as that," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
His sentiment was echoed by former Australia batsman Darren Lehmann.
Australia captain Pat Cummins, however, said he had faith in ICC's pitch preparation process.
"Yeah, I saw that [pitch selection report] ... obviously ICC have an independent pitch curator who manages that so I'm sure they are all over making sure it's fair for both teams," Cummins said.
"So far this tournament [on pitches] that we've played on, I've not seen any issue."
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
Results
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mezmar, Adam McLean (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: AF Ajwad, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Gold Silver, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
4pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m; Winner: Atrash, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez.
4.30pm: Gulf Cup Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Momtaz, Saif Al Balushi, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Al Mushtashar, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
