India, led by Rohit Sharma, is gearing up to face arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024 match in New York on June 9.
After a convincing 8-wicket victory over Ireland in their opening game at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 5, India now faces a tougher challenge against Pakistan on the same pitch. The pitch has been offering significant bounce, particularly benefiting the pacers. Pakistani bowlers like Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf are expected to pose a tough challenge for the Indian batsmen.
In preparation for this challenge, the Indian team underwent specialized training sessions. Three of the practice strips at the Cantiague Park in Long Islands were modified to simulate abrasive pitches with cracks, providing match-like conditions for the top-order batsmen. Despite facing difficult conditions during training, Indian batsmen, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, embraced the challenge and focused on negotiating uneven bounce and facing both pacers and spinners effectively.
During the training session, Kohli, Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav faced bowlers like Bumrah, Arshdeep, Siraj, and Khaleel, while also working on playing cross-batted shots against spinners. The session concluded with a team bonding activity, with players relaxing and enjoying a game of football to foster camaraderie within the team.
