Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed concerns about the pitches in the UAE during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, stating that they do not favour the stroke players in India’s batting lineup. The tournament, now in its ninth edition, has seen India struggle on tracks at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which have not been conducive for free-flowing stroke play.
India’s batting woes were evident in their opening match against New Zealand, where they were bowled out for a meagre 102, resulting in a heavy 58-run loss. The struggles continued in their second game against arch-rivals Pakistan, as they laboured to chase down a modest target of 108. Despite securing a six-wicket win with seven deliveries to spare, the performance left much to be desired.
Manjrekar, a former Indian cricketer and current commentator, believes that Indian fans will be disappointed with the team’s batting performances so far. He pointed out that the Dubai pitches, particularly the one used in the match against New Zealand, have not suited the likes of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, India’s aggressive openers.
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“The batting has been slightly disappointing. I feel the fans will be slightly disappointed with the way they have batted. The batting was very bad against New Zealand. The problem is that the pitch in Dubai does not suit Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana,” Sanjay Manjrekar commented on Star Sports.
He further explained that the slower, spongy bounce of the Dubai pitch has hindered Verma and Mandhana, who thrive on pace to score boundaries. “Shafali Verma scored a few runs but she shouldn’t think only about fours and sixes in the first five or six overs. This applies to Smriti Mandhana as well,” Sanjay Manjrekar added.
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India’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals now hang in the balance. After their loss to New Zealand, they must secure convincing wins in their remaining group matches. Their next challenge is against Sri Lanka, the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 champions, on October 9. India will then face defending champions Australia on October 13. Even with victories in these two games, India will rely on other results going in their favour to secure a semi-final spot.
