India captain Rohit Sharma talked about the conditions at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York ahead of the game against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. He admitted that pitches in New York are tough but they are ready for the challenge.
India will be taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in their second game of the T20 World Cup 2024. The match between the two teams will take place on Sunday (9th June) at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
One of the major talking points going into the game between India and Pakistan is the pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The surface in New York is a nightmare for batters and paradise for the fast bowlers, which has been evident in the games at the venue.
The surface is under scanner due to uneven bounce and has even seen players getting injured as well. The uneven bounce there is one of the major concerns for the batters and it makes things even worse for them with the outfield being slow and boundaries being long.
Even ICC released an official statement related to the pitch, saying that the groundsmen are working hard and they will be doing their best to improve the conditions. It will be a big challenge for India as well, considering the lethal pace attack of Pakistan.
Rohit Sharma, however, is aware of that challenge but is keen to use the experience his team has. He pointed out that they need to overcome the challenges, citing the example of India’s Test win at Gabba. Speaking to reporters, he stated:
“It’s tough but that’s why I would like to highlight the experience we have. The blows count for nothing. When you play in places like SA, and AUS, you have to overcome the challenges. The Gabba test is one big example. We thrive in these difficult moments. It’s the WC, so nothing can get bigger than this.”
Someone has to play freely at the top – Rohit Sharma ahead of the game against Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2024
India skipper Rohit Sharma also stressed the importance of playing freely at the top. He stated that one of the top three needs to find the right balance between being aggressive and cautious in the game against arch-rivals in New York. He also stated that playing more games than Pakistan at the venue doesn’t matter because even the curator doesn’t know what the pitch will offer. He added.
“Someone has to play freely at the top. Condition does matter and in New York, you have to be mindful of that. Not to be too aggressive or too cautious. I would like to have a balanced approach.
“We don’t know what kind of wicket we play on. It doesn’t matter that we have been in NY for more days than Pakistan. Even the curator was confused regarding pitches toh you can imagine our situation,” he concluded.