Ahead of the much-awaited Super 8 clash between India and Afghanistan, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra talks about the playing conditions in the Caribbean. Chopra talked about the contrasting conditions as compared to the pitch in New York, where India played their group-stage matches, and those in the West Indies, where the knockout phase, including the Super 8s, will take place.

Chopra labelled the New York pitches as unsuitable for T20 cricket, noting that they heavily favoured bowlers and made life difficult for batters. He pointed out that the conditions in the West Indies present a different set of challenges for the players.

Highlighting specific venues, Akash Chopra opined that the pitch in Barbados will be assisting the batters. In contrast, the pitches in Tarouba and Guyana provide minimal bounce and significant turn, respectively. He explained that these conditions make it tough for batters, and high-scoring games are likely to be rare.

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“The pitch in New York was not suitable for T20 cricket, with batters struggling and bowlers dominating. In the West Indies, each venue offers a different challenge. The Tarouba pitch has minimal bounce, in Guyana, the ball turns a lot, and Barbados has a decent surface. Overall, the pitches are tough for batters, and high-scoring games will be rare,” stated Aakash Chopra on JioCinema.

Discussing the upcoming clash between Afghanistan and India, Chopra suggested that winning the toss and opting to bat first could be advantageous at the Kensington Oval. Historically, this venue has favoured teams batting first, with 18 out of 27 games won by teams setting a target. 

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Afghanistan finds it difficult to chase down the targets but excels at defending them, thanks to their exceptional spin-bowling unit. However, he observed that key players like Rashid Khan had a mediocre IPL 2024 season, underperforming relative to expectations.

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“Winning the toss and opting to bat first could be advantageous, as historically, it’s been a successful strategy on this ground. Afghanistan tends to struggle while chasing targets but excels at defending them, thanks to their exceptional spin bowlers. However, Rashid Khan didn’t have a stellar IPL season, and their other bowlers also underperformed. Therefore, I’m confident that India will play well and secure a good result,” added Aakash Chopra.