Surface Tension in New York: Unstable Pitch Sparks Concerns Ahead of the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Showdown
Doubts arise ahead of the India-Pakistan blockbuster as the new walk-on release behaves erratically, leading to fears of injuries and low-scoring games.
NEW YORK: Amid the cricket euphoria sweeping across America, a cloud of doubt looms over the sport’s most crucial component: the field. In two consecutive games at the Nassau International Cricket Ground in New York, the venue for Sunday’s high-profile India vs. Pakistan match, teams have been bowled out for under 100, with challenging chases.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 77, and South Africa took 16.4 overs to reach the target. The Indian top order also struggled to chase down 97 against Ireland on Wednesday. While the Irish looked out of their depth while batting, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant had to fight hard before India opened their account.
More crucially, the winner of the toss has been the game-changer. In addition to the unpredictable nature of the pitch, the 10:30 a.m. starts have made the cue ball move excessively, making batting very difficult.
“Yes, the toss is crucial, and fortunately we won it today (against Ireland). It allowed us to control the game,” batting coach Vikram Rathour said. However, the discussion soon turned to the India-Pakistan match. When asked what would be a par score batting first, Rathour simply said, “Whatever we can get.”
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who is commenting, also expressed concern. “The worrying thing is that one delivery shoots up while the next stays low. Anything can happen on a track like this,” Harbhajan told TOI.
Captain Rohit Sharma was the only player to counter the challenge effectively. Despite a shaky start, he scored 52 before being hit by a ball that rose to his shoulder. Although he retired injured, he later clarified that “he is a little sore” and there is no concern about his participation in the Pakistan game.
“It just hurts a little bit. I’m not sure what to expect from the pitch. I don’t know what it’s like to play on a pitch that’s five months old,” Rohit said. “I don’t think the wicket stabilised even when we batted second. There was enough for the bowlers.”
Rohit, a seasoned player, knows that the noise levels will rise significantly when facing Pakistan, and any adverse result will amplify the scrutiny. “To be honest, I don’t know what to expect from the field, but we will prepare as if the conditions are like that,” the captain said.
Rathour remains confident in the quality of India’s batting line-up to tackle any challenge. “It is challenging terrain, and we have to find a way. We have the skill and the experience; there are players who know how to deal with these conditions,” he said. The ICC admits the NY pitch is ‘inconsistent’
The International Cricket Council (ICC) admitted on Thursday that the New York ground has not been performing satisfactorily and that ground staff are working hard to rectify the situation ahead of Sunday’s big match between India and Pakistan. “T20 Inc. and the ICC recognize that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would all have liked,” the ICC stated “The world-class fielding team has been working hard since the end of yesterday’s match to remedy the situation and provide the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”
