It’s not a rock and roll situation out there in America. Batters are struggling as runs are hard to come and it because the drop-in pitches are slow and low. Unlike in IPL 2024 season where the average score was over 190, this T20 World Cup’s US leg isn’t promising something noteworthy.
The par score is expected between 160 and 180 and the Indian team is disappointed with the pitch conditions. It’s an ICC event and even the BCCI can’t say much. With India expected to play two matches of the league phase in New York, as an exhibition exercise, the whole of India must be worried about how our stroke-makers are going to make an impact here. With IPL 2024 seeing 1260 sixes in total as opposed to 1124 in 2023 – this T20 World Cup will record the lowest numbers of fours and sixes in the league matches to be played in America.
There is no pace on the ball for the hitters to smash the deliveries. How difficult will it be for the Indian batters who were playing in venues like Hyderabad, which had a first-innings average score of 204 in the first innings and 194 in the second innings.
Even the outfield is so heavy that the boundaries are hard to come by. There are injury concerns as well for the players. The batters would have to get to the pitch of the ball to hit the big shots or wait on the back foot to use the cross-batted typical T20 shots.
A section within the BCCI believes that the Indian batters will smash the ball irrespective of pitch conditions. Others have a little smirk on their faces. The T20 World Cup pitch in New York is one big joke.
There was a time when they used to say that the Indians were obsessed with the Americans while the Americans were obsessed with themselves. But now, things have changed so much. India is the home of cricket, and IPL is the largest global brand — tournaments other than IPL are insignificant. IPL gets double-paced wickets, but the ones in America are not cricket conducive. Thank God that Rishab Pant played a blinder for India. It is a dicey pitch to be playing cricket for sure!