Mohali pitch set to favour Pakistan pace in crucial World T20 match for Shahid Afridi's men

Barnaby Read 23:20 21/03/2016
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  • Skipper Afridi is preparing for a must-win game in Mohali.

    CHANDIGARH, India – Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Chandigarh, Shahid Afridi hadn’t yet seen the pitch awaiting his side as they take on New Zealand on Tuesday but he was aware of what may be in store.

    “I’ve played a few times here and they really support batsmen as well, it’s like a heaven for the batsmen. But I still remember the last ICC event the pitch really favoured fast bowlers so it depends on how they make this pitch,” he said moments before heading out to the wicket for practice and a first sight of the deck alongside coach Waqar Younis.

    As the pair peeled back the matting covering the track, their faces couldn’t be made out from the restricted view of the squat media centre.

    But you can be sure that both had a rise smile.

    As the drapes were pulled back, a green top and quick looking deck was exposed.

    “I think Mohali is probably more like New Zealand conditions than Nagpur and Dharamsala,” said New Zealand coach Mike Hesson. “Pakistan will serve a different challenge with their pace attack and their bowling attack is completely different to what we’ve faced the last couple of games. This pitch will pose different challenges for us.”

    Hesson is right and on this pitch Pakistan finally have something in their favour.

    The triumvirate of left-arm quicks Wahad Riaz, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Amir will be gagging to go on this deck, as will Mohammad Sami.

    Going rather against the grain for this tournament, Pakistan have picked a side with a backbone of highly skilled quick bowlers that have so far had to deal with slow turning wickets that they are accustomed to but do not play to their strengths.

    It is the opposite to New Zealand who have thus far enjoyed stunning success in defending low totals thanks to the expertise of their largely unknown trio of spinners.

    With Tim Southee and Trent Boult laying in wait, it makes for an exciting prospect of a duel between both teams’ fast bowlers and how they are supported by spin which will no doubt still take on this wicket but not as sharply as seen elsewhere.

    It has resulted in South Africa’s Kyle Abbott as the sole seam representative in the top-10 leading wicket-takers of the tournament so far, spin already having a vivid say on matters.

    Seamers have so far had to think on their feet and their artistry has largely been reduced to their ability to bowl cutters as balls stick in the deck and leave it drained of the searing pace it left the hand with.

    In support of the spinners the wickets have not discriminated, the left-arm offerings of Ravindra Jadeja spitting in Kolkata as much as Ish Sodhi’s leggies in Dharamsala and Mohammad Nabi’s offies in Nagpur.

    After watching the quicks of South Africa and England go the distance in Mumbai, it will be refreshing for fans of the art of raw pace, swing and seam to watch events unfold in Mohali if the pitch is as receptive as it looks.

    There is little doubt that spinners will ultimately impact proceedings at this tournament but finally, thankfully, we have an opportunity for the new ball bowlers to make their mark.

    Should New Zealand bring in Southee and Boult then alongside the Pakistan quartet there are surely few better attacks equipped to do just that.

    We’ve had ragging spin off the straight and out of the rough and some remarkable hitting from players enjoying the Wankhede Road and finally the stage is set for some fine fast bowling that tests the mettle of the batsmen.

    It will likely draw ironic laughter from Afridi that after saying how so many pitches out in India are often designed to combat their strengths that this time around the pitch is in their favour, the cricketing gods seemingly are not.

    Just hours after speaking to press news filtered through that Amir wouldn’t bowl in the practice session as a precaution and that Wahab needed a scan after being hit on the shoulder by a stray ball.

    Fortunately for Afridi both are now expected to play, a kind piece of fortune for anyone excited by the sight of pace.

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