India’s T20 World Cup campaign faced an early setback as captain Rohit Sharma retired hurt during their opening match against Ireland in New York. Sharma, who scored a half-century, was hit on the upper arm by a delivery from Josh Little in the ninth over of the chase. Despite this, Sharma managed to contribute 52 runs off 37 balls before leaving the field. Rishabh Pant also faced a similar blow from Little but continued his innings, finishing unbeaten on 36 off 26 balls.
The challenging batting conditions were evident as Ireland struggled to 96 all out, with the pitch drawing criticism from experts. Former Zimbabwe batter and England head coach Andy Flower described the surface as “bordering on dangerous,” highlighting the unpredictable bounce that troubled the batsmen.
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Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India batter, expressed concerns about the pitch’s preparation, suggesting issues beyond normal conditions. The challenges faced by both India and Ireland raised questions about the suitability of the pitch for international matches, with social media also abuzz with criticism from former cricketers like Michael Vaughan and Wasim Jaffer.
The incident has sparked discussions about pitch preparation and player safety, adding a new dimension to India’s T20 World Cup journey.
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