Former England legend criticizes NYC pitch ahead of India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has expressed his disappointment with the state of the pitch at the Nassau County International stadium, which is set to host the high-stakes match between India and Pakistan on June 9. 

Pietersen took to the social media platform 'X', where he voiced concerns about the safety and quality of the surface, highlighting that several players were injured during the recent Sri Lanka-South Africa match. He urged organizers to make necessary improvements to ensure the ground is fit for play.

“Hmmmm, that wicket in NYC needs some attention before the big game. I’d also suggest having seen a few players that tried to slide and jarred their knees, that all players exercise caution. I’m sure everyone is working extremely hard to make sure it’s perfect for IND vs PAK!” Pietersen posted.

On the other hand, cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra offered a more optimistic view, suggesting that the conditions would improve with time. 

He explained that drop-in pitches often have an extra layer of grass initially and require several matches to settle down and become more conducive for batting.

“Lively pitch at New York. That’s the thing with the drop-in surfaces. Extra layer of grass to begin with. Takes time to settle down. Need cricket to be played on the square for it to become what they end up becoming - good pitches to bat,” Chopra posted.

It is worth noting that the Men in Green are scheduled to play their first World Cup match against the USA on June 6 in Dallas, Texas.

They will play their next matches against arch-rivals India on June 9 and Canada on June 12 in New York. Their final league match against Ireland is slated for June 16 in Florida.

Pakistan Squad for T20 World Cup 2024: Babar Azam (C), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.

Pakistan’s schedule of matches:

• 6 June – vs USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas
• 9 June – vs India, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
• 11 June – vs Canada, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
• 16 June – vs Ireland, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida