ICC penalizes Lord's and Gaddafi Stadium for unsatisfactory pitches
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 9, 2026, 6:45 PM
Last updated Jun 9, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the pitches at Lord's and Gaddafi Stadium as "unsatisfactory," issuing a demerit point to each location. The pitch at Lord's provided excessive seam movement and low bounce during the first Test between England and New Zealand. In Pakistan, the Gaddafi Stadium pitch was criticized for being too slow and low for a One Day International between Pakistan and Australia. Both cricket boards have 14 days to appeal these sanctions, following reports from match referees. This is the first instance of demerit points for either venue.
- •ICC awarded one demerit point to both Lord's and Gaddafi Stadium.
- •Lord's pitch favored bowlers, leading to an imbalance in play.
- •Gaddafi Stadium pitch was too slow and low for ODI standards.
- •ECB and PCB have 14 days to appeal the sanctions.
- •No prior demerit points were recorded for either venue.
- 6:45 PMYahoo Sports — 'Unsatisfactory' verdict! ICC penalises Lord's and Pakistan's Gaddafi Stadium pitches
"Cricket's governing body has deemed pitches at Lord's and Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium "unsatisfactory," awarding one demerit point to each. Lord's offered excessive seam movement and low bounce, while Lahore's surface proved too slow and low for an ODI. Both cricket boards have 14 days to appeal these sanctions.
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