During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Mohammad Kaif, who was on commentary duties, was present in Ahmedabad for the crucial final match. He disclosed that he witnessed both captain Rohit Sharma and India head coach Rahul Dravid inspecting the pitch in the evenings for three consecutive days prior to the final. Kaif asserted that he observed changes in the pitch’s color during this time and accused the Indian team management of orchestrating their own defeat by manipulating the playing surface.

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India entered the summit clash as the clear favorites, having maintained an unbeaten record throughout the tournament. With ten consecutive victories, the hosts were on the brink of glory, only to stumble against Australia in the pivotal final, ultimately missing out on the trophy. Kaif attributed India’s defeat to their strategy of employing a slow pitch in the final match.