T20 World Cup 2024, India vs Pakistan: An assured and poised India would seek to leverage the uncertain state of Pakistan and their unfamiliarity with the challenging conditions when the perennial rivals face off in their highly anticipated clash in New York on Sunday.
An assured and poised India would seek to leverage the uncertain state of Pakistan and their unfamiliarity with the challenging conditions when the perennial rivals face off in their highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 clash in New York on Sunday.
The much-anticipated match, anticipated to attract the largest crowd of the tournament thus far, is slated to take place at the recently constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, boasting a capacity of 34,000 seats, situated on the outskirts of the city within Eisenhower Park.
Ahead of the high octane clash, BCCI dropped a video on X, formerly Twitter, with the caption: "It's Match-Day! Excitement levels up. #TeamIndia is READY! Drop a message in the comments below to send your best wishes to the Indian team."
In the video, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said, "Playing good cricket hold the key. As long as you think and make decision based on what you're seeing in front of you, you're giving yourself the best chance of having success," providing a goosebumps moment for fans.
It's Match-Day! 👏 👏
Excitement Levels 🆙 is 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬!👍 👍
Drop a message in the comments below 🔽 to send your best wishes to the Indian team. | pic.twitter.com/hJI5Msbfd8
As anticipation builds for this prestigious encounter, the condition of the pitch remains a focal point of discussion, having already garnered significant critique for its unpredictability, a concern acknowledged by the ICC.
In the six innings played across three matches held at the stadium thus far, teams have managed to exceed the 100-run mark only twice. Some former players have openly questioned whether these low-scoring conditions would effectively showcase cricket to the American market during this prestigious event.
The venue boasts four drop-in pitches, installed in April under the watchful eye of Adelaide Oval groundsman Damian Hough, yet to fully settle. The erratic bounce of the surface has also sparked safety concerns for the batsmen, notably highlighted when Indian captain Rohit Sharma was struck on the shoulder, forcing him to halt his innings during the tournament's opening match against Ireland on June 5th.
"I don't know what to expect from the pitch to be honest. We will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this (for Pakistan game). This is going to be a kind of game where all XI of us will need to contribute," Rohit had said after the game against Ireland.
The day following India's match, the ICC found itself compelled to issue a statement, confronting the escalating apprehensions surrounding the pitches arranged for the New York leg of this T20 World Cup.
"The ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted," the statement read.
The Pakistan team is still in the process of adjusting to the conditions at Nassau Stadium. Their arrival in New York on Thursday night, following a surprising defeat to tournament debutants USA, left them with little time to acclimate. With a day off following their arrival, Babar Azam and his squad have had limited opportunities to adapt to the challenging conditions, potentially placing them at a disadvantage for the upcoming crucial encounter against India. A defeat in this match could significantly complicate their chances of qualification.
In their previous match against Ireland, the Indian team opted to exclude left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI, instead favoring an additional specialist fast bowler. This strategy is expected to persist for Sunday's match, particularly considering it will likely be played on an unused center turf, separate from the track used by South Africa and Netherlands on June 8th. However, given Kuldeep's recent form and his advantageous match-ups against Pakistani batters, particularly Babar, the team management may contemplate including him. If so, either Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja may have to make way. The batting order appears to be settled, with Rohit and Virat Kohli expected to continue as openers and Rishabh Pant at No.3.
Pakistan, meanwhile, aims to bounce back after their initial setback. Their trademark unpredictability was evident in their match against the USA, which ended in a Super Over victory for the debutants. Babar attributed the loss primarily to the bowlers, but the underwhelming performance of the team's batters, including himself, cannot be overlooked. Babar's 44 runs from 43 deliveries fell short of an acceptable strike rate in T20 cricket, and he'll be eager for improvement.
With conditions seeming favorable for seamers, as highlighted by India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah after the Ireland game, it wouldn't be surprising if Pakistan's potent bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi, rises to the occasion on Sunday, aiming to rejuvenate the team's campaign.