Sports

Bengaluru pitch rated as ‘below average'

PTI

The Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch in Bengaluru, which was used for the second Test between India and Sri Lanka earlier this month, was on Sunday rated "below average" by the ICC.

The venue thus received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

According to the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, which was introduced on January 4, 2018, "if a pitch or outfield is rated as being substandard, that venue will be allocated a number of demerit points."

"One demerit point will be awarded to venues whose pitches are rated by the match referees as below average, while three and five demerit points will be awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as poor and unfit, respectively.

"No demerit point will be awarded when the outfield is rated as below average, but two and five demerit points will be awarded to venues whose outfields are marked as poor and unfit, respectively."

Demerit points will remain active for a rolling five-year period. When a venue accumulates five demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months, the ICC said.