Image Source: TOI
[Saba Sports News] India’s former batting coach Vikram Rathour dismissed allegations that the Narendra Modi Stadium pitch was doctored for the ODI World Cup 2023 final.
Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif claimed the pitch color changed three days before the match, suggesting tampering to favor Indian bowlers.
Rathour disagreed, noting the pitch improved during the game instead of slowing down as expected. He credited Australia’s luck and superior play for their six-wicket win, earning their sixth ODI World Cup title.
“The pitch didn’t change as expected. We could have scored more, but Australia was luckier and played better cricket,” Rathour told Sportstar.
During the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma chose to bat first, but India struggled, reaching only 240 runs with contributions from Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66).
Australia recovered from 47/3 thanks to Travis Head’s 137 and Marnus Labuschagne, securing a comfortable victory in Ahmedabad.