NEW DELHI: The pitches in the USA and the West Indies for the T20 World Cup have been under scrutiny ever since the tournament started.
Questions were raised at the relaid pitch at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on which India played all their three games.
T20 WORLD CUP:
Though India won all their matches, their scores were 97/2, 119 and 111/3. A high-innings score caters well to T20 cricket with the ball coming nicely on to the bat and flying off the blades of the hard-hitting batters.
The Nassau pitch was dual paced and the ball stopped while coming off the bat. In fact both Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant sustained injuries in the match against Ireland.
The Brian Lara Stadium at Tarouba in Trinidad hosted its second match on Thursday in which Afghanistan defeated Papua New Guinea by 7 wickets to reach the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
It was another low-scoring game as PNG were bundled out for just 95 runs in 19.5 overs and in reply, Afghanistan got off to a bad start before reaching their target in 15.1 overs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi took 3/16 as PNG were 17/4 at one stage.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra raised his concern at the nature of the pitch at Tarouba.
"The pitch at NY has been the source of a lot of discussion…but what's happening at Tarouba? Not an ideal surface for T20 cricket again. Too many deliveries skidding along the surface. Anyway, well done, Afghanistan," Chopra posted on X.
The previous match at the venue - between New Zealand and West Indies - was also not a high-scoring one as the Kiwis failed to chase down a 150-run target, losing by 13 runs.
The Brian Lara Stadium is scheduled to host three matches in the tournament and only time will tell whether they will be high-scoring games or bowlers will again call the shots depending on the nature of the surface.
1/10:Afghanistan beat PNG to eliminate NZ
Getty Images
2/10:Afghanistan in Super Eights
<p>Afghanistan registered a seven-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea to advance to the Super Eights and send New Zealand crashing out of the 2024 T20 World Cup. </p>AP
3/10:Fazalhaq Farooqi
<p>Fazalhaq Farooqi added another three victims to his tournament-leading wicket tally as PNG were bundled out for 95 off 19.5 overs batting first. </p>Getty Images
4/10:Bad start
<p>Afghanistan lost both openers cheaply but eventually reached the target for the loss of three wickets in the 16th over for a third win in a row. <br /></p>AP
5/10:4th wicket stand
<p>Gulbadin Naib hit an unbeaten 49 in an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 46 with Mohammad Nabi (16*) as Afghanistan finished on 101-3 off 15.1 overs. </p>Getty Images
6/10:New Zealand eliminated
<p>The result confirms Afghanistan's place in the next round while at the same time eliminating New Zealand, who still have two group matches to play. </p>AP
7/10:Farooqi's double blow
<p>Left-arm seamer Farooqi took two quick wickets after PNG captain Assad Vala was carelessly run out in the second over of the match. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Farooqi 3/16
<p>Two more run outs followed and Farooqi returned in the 19th over to claim another scalp to finish with three for 16 before a fourth run out ended the innings. </p>AP
9/10:Highest wicket-taker
<p>Farooqi now has 12 wickets in the tournament, four more than the trio of Anrich Nortje, Alzarri Joseph and Adam Zampa. </p>AP
