LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reversed the demerit point verdict imposed upon the Gaddafi Stadium pitch after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appealed against the original decision issued by the ICC. This comes amid a rapid reversal of fortune for the Gaddafi Stadium pitch which found itself embroiled in controversy following an intense ODI series between Pakistan and Australia.

Following the third One Day International between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in June, the International Cricket Council issued a demerit point for the playing surface and labeled the pitch as unsatisfactory for the first time ever at this stadium.

This made the original decision quite significant for the Gaddafi Stadium, which had never received any demerit points previously, until the decision was reversed later.

Why Gaddafi Stadium pitch rating Came Under Scrutiny

However, concerns have emerged regarding excessive assistance provided to spinners on the pitch used during a low-scoring clash between the sides, where Pakistan managed to register a win by four wickets. Australia were bowled out for only 157 runs within 42 overs. All three ODIs played between both teams on pitches in Lahore and Rawalpindi yielded turning balls for Pakistan. Officials involved in the match were left questioning whether the pitch met certain standards during this period.

The International Cricket Council confirmed this determination in a press release after reviewing the video clips of the match, the report of the match referee, and statements from the participating sides regarding the incident. The ICC statement read: “The demerit point levied against Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for its ‘Unsatisfactory’ performance during the third Men’s ODI between Pakistan and Australia held on 4 June has been withdrawn.” This determination by the ICC came after determining that the surface of the ground “did not exhibit any pronounced unevenness/spin.”

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In yet another case, the demerit point imposed against Cricket Canada (CC) was overturned after being reviewed by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It may be recalled that CC had received an “unsatisfactory” rating by the ICC in connection with ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 match involving the US team against the Netherlands on 8th June 2026.

In relation to the match held on 8 June, the ICC explained that the Appeals Panel found that although there was adherence to the guidelines by the Match Referee concerning the condition of the surface, this had been "consistent with that of a satisfactory pitch" and did not display any signs of excessive unevenness, seam balling, and spin, which led to the cancellation of this specific demerit point. However, no action was taken against the three demerit points levied on the 16 June game since the Appeals Panel considered the pitch to be dangerous and unfit for play.

After both appeals were successful, the Gaddafi Stadium recorded zero demerits, clearing the slate in the wake of the ICC overturning its previous Gaddafi Stadium pitch rating decision. On the contrary, the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground maintains its three demerit point tally due to the unsuccessful appeal filed by Cricket Canada. This illustrates how these two separate appeals led to entirely contrasting decisions concerning the two grounds.