Unpredictable Pitch, Unpredictable Pakistan: Previewing India’s 2024 T20 World Cup battle against familiar foes in unfamiliar territory
The much-awaited marquee clash of the 2024 T20 World Cup, India vs Pakistan, is set to be played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9. Like in the build-up to every Indo-Pak clash, there's plenty of excitement around this game as well. At the same time, there are a few other factors at play that have added a different twist to Sunday's mega clash.
Bizarre as it may sound, the pitch in New York seems to be in greater focus than the teams and players of the two Asian sides. Understandably so, for the surfaces in use for the ongoing World Cup have been far from satisfactory. With crowds already staying due to the lack of buzz and exorbitant ticket prices, a dull India-Pakistan contest could spell disaster for the World Cup.
If we analyze the matches played in New York so far, where India and Pakistan will cross swords on Sunday, South Africa bowled out Sri Lanka for 77 on an extremely sluggish surface. The aggregate for the India-Ireland match was also under 200. Worryingly, balls rose sharply and struck Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant; the former even being forced to retire.
There were some better scores in the third match played at the venue as Canada scored 137-7 and then held Ireland to 125-7. There is nothing wrong in bowlers having a say in the T20 format.
It will only add to the evenness of the contest. However, the issue in the ongoing World Cup has been that the batters have struggled way too much due to the pitches, which seem underprepared.
If we look at the stats after 15 matches in the 2024 T20 World Cup, no batter has registered a three-figure score. Aaron Jones is the only one to cross the 90-run mark. In contrast, one five-wicket haul and five four-fers have been registered by bowlers, most of them by faster men.
Will lively pitch aid Pakistan more than India?
Having lost only once to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in seven meetings, the Men in Blue would undoubtedly go into Sunday's contest as the favorites. Then again, it's no secret that when there's some spice in the pitch, Pakistan's pace bowlers become a different beast.
Releasing an official statement on Thursday, June 6, the ICC conceded 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 world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday's game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches," the ICC release on pitches in New York added.
Having said that, one is really not sure how much the surface can be remedied in a matter of a couple of days.
So, if there's exaggerated help for the Pakistan fast bowlers in New York on Sunday, India could be in a disadvantageous position. Yes, the Men in Blue have a high quality line up themselves, but the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf could prove to be dangerous.
There are chances that India might have to revert to the traditional approach of being watchful at the start against Pakistan's pacers and make up for it in the second half, when the spinners come into force.
In case, they adopt a conservative approach keeping the surface in mind, India need to ensure that their most destructive players of spin are out in the middle when the slow bowlers are on.
Virat Kohli has an exceptional record against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, but he would have realized following his struggle against Ireland that Sunday will offer an altogether different challenge. If will be interesting to see how he responds to the same. If he can find a way to thwart the Pakistan bowlers, Kohli could give the Men in Blue the edge.
Will Pakistan's loss to US be a factor?
Another interesting sub plot in the India vs Pakistan contest on Sunday would be whether Babar Azam and co. can recover in time from the shock loss they suffered against the United States. With all due credit to the co-hosts, even those who didn't follow the match can safely assume that Pakistan were pedestrian against the US.
They looked completely out of rhythm with the bat - skipper Babar setting the tone with a snail-like start. Although he made up for it in the second half, it was far from enough. Irrespective of the pitch on offer, it's a fact that Pakistan are weak in the batting department, an area India's bowlers will look to exploit.
To their credit, Pakistan's bowlers fought back well to take the game into the Super Over. But the United States held their nerves better at key junctures and were deserved victors eventually. Babar, himself, admitted after the game that Pakistan were not up to the mark with both bat and ball.
While the loss to US is undoubtedly a major setback for Pakistan with regard to their Super 8 hopes, whether the loss would have a say in the mega clash against India is debatable.
Pakistan have a history of suffering shock losses and fighting back in equally stunning fashion. The 2022 T20 World Cup is a case in example. Babar and co. came back from the brink of elimination to finish runners-up.
In an ironic sense, Pakistan become all that more dangerous when they are pinned to the wall. And so, because of what transpired in the match against US, they will be all the more motivated to make an impact. Odd as it may sound, playing against India may be the best thing to happen to them after the disaster against USA in their 2024 T20 World Cup opener.