The ICC rated the pitch used for the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka as “unsatisfactory,” resulting in the venue incurring one demerit point. This rating is unique because the ICC has previously used various terms such as “very good”, “good”, “average”, “below average”, “poor” and “unfit” to rate pitches.
New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by four wickets in one of the shortest Tests in recent memory, with only 35 wickets falling to bowlers in the match. Spinners took 30 of these wickets, and the match was only able to go into the fourth day due to rain and bad light on the second and third days.
The Shere Bangla National Stadium previously received a demerit point in early 2018 for a Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test. In 2021, the venue received seven “average” ratings in ODIs and T20Is.
Match referee David Boon submitted his report to the ICC after consulting with the captains of both teams. The report expressed concerns about the pitch, stating that it appeared to be underprepared and had inconsistent bounce throughout the match.
After the match, New Zealand captain Tim Southee criticized the pitch as “probably the worst wicket” he has played on, while Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto defended it.
