Weather and pitch update for India, Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup 2024

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Pakistan and India are set to face off in a thrilling T20 World Cup 2024 encounter at the Nassau County International Stadium on Sunday, June 9. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM (Pakistan Standard Time).

India comes into the game with momentum, having secured a victory against Ireland, whereas Pakistan is looking to bounce back after a Super Over defeat to the United States in their opening match.

A significant debate has arisen regarding the pitch conditions at Nassau County Cricket Stadium.

The ICC acknowledged the inconsistency of the pitches and issued a statement addressing the issue, noting that efforts are underway to improve the surfaces for future games.

"The ICC recognized 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 ICC stated. "The world-class grounds team has been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches."

Out of the eight innings played across the four matches at the stadium, teams have managed to surpass the 100-run mark only four times.

South Africa restricted the Netherlands to 103/9 at the same venue on Saturday, with the pitch providing extra bounce for the fast bowlers. However, South Africa also faced trouble in chasing the target as they were 12/4 in 5 overs at one point before David Miller’s 59-run knock took them over the finish line with four wickets in hand.

Batters are also likely to face challenges from a slow outfield, making it difficult to score singles and doubles.

India played two matches at Nassau International County Cricket Stadium - a warm-up and their first game against Ireland but Indian captain Rohit thinks conditions will be the same for both teams.

"In New York, the conditions and opportunities will be the same for both teams. We have been here for just six or seven days; this is not our home ground," Rohit said.

"The team that plays well will win; it doesn't matter who arrived in New York first. We don’t know what the wicket will be like," he added.

Additionally, weather conditions could influence the game. According to weather.com, Nassau County will experience mostly cloudy skies with occasional rain showers during the day, and the temperature is expected to drop with a 60 percent chance of rain.

Squads

Pakistan: 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.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.