The most popular slogan during the recent India-Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup was “The biggest blockbuster of any game in the world”. Truly, this is a statement based on facts. No other sport in the world has the number of audience, the passion and emotions that run in a cricket match between India and Pakistan.

The sport itself transcends all boundaries of age, sex, nationalities, classes, race and religions. The top most in this category of games is a match between India and Pakistan and it is a big icing on the cake if such an encounter takes place during a T20 World Cup.

When in any World Cup the team schedules are announced the young and old are not bothered about any other match but focused on when the competition will offer that adrenaline pumping opportunity to cheer the side they favour in an India-Pakistan contest.

It is truly amazing how this phenomenon affects the entire family from grandmother to grand-daughters and of course the grand-sons and everyone else in the family. Cricket watching parties are organized and there is plenty of food to go along with the excitement.

The food delivery people have a whopping day and while millions are spent by cricket enthusiasts at the venue the spent by those watching at home is also quite phenomenal.

There is this famous saying “You win some and you lose some”. No one knows this sentiment better than Pakistani fans who through the years have been on this see-saw ride devouring the ecstasy of victories and sustaining the pain of defeats. I do not remember any competition in which I could sit and watch an India-Pakistan encounter with any amount of certainty that our side will win.

Truly, this can be said about any sport as results are usually determined on the day of the competition only. In some matches in any sports a player can have a moment of brilliance and turn the tables on the competition. In cricket this happens frequently.

A stunning catch, a flow of runs from someone’s bat or a bowler suddenly becoming unplayable. This brings me to the recent encounter between India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in which Pakistan much to the disappointment of its fans lost and this defeat like many others is now being discussed threadbare.

The focus of much of the debate is on the performance of teams and of course their management. Questions are being asked about the late joining of the coach and selection of players, etc., as far as Pakistan is concerned. Actually, if you look at the entire scenario you will soon realise that it is not just Pakistan that faced an uphill task but several other teams ended up with surprises that they had not prepared for or anticipated.

All this because the selection of venue for matches in the USA was delayed and finalized at the last moment.

While the ICC had been looking for the right venue for the World Cup in 2021, it was only in September 2023 that the Nassau County venue, located in Eisenhower Park in Long Island, was finalized. Because of the tight schedule the ICC decided on drop-in pitches as a turnkey solution. Ten drop-in pitches - four for the main ground and six for the practice facility in Cantiague Park, a few miles from the main venue - were used.

The original pitches were prepared in Adelaide, Australia, which also oversees the preparation of the drop-in pitches at Adelaide Oval. The pitches were shipped in December 2023 to Florida because it is sunnier and warmer there compared to New York. The pitches were then moved to New York at the end of April before being fixed in the main square and practice venue in early May.

Wow what a journey and a new experiment for the World Cup. Now these pitches are playing tricks on the participants of the much heralded T20 World Cup. As you must have noticed the toss-winning captains with the exception of the South African captain have opted to bowl first as they have no idea how the pitch will behave.

For a T20 match the scores are really pathetic and provide no entertainment for the audience. While teams are juggling their members and trying various combinations these pitches have the last laugh on us. Whatever happens and whoever wins these pitches will be long remembered.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024