It is a shocker of a wicket, Hardik criticises ‘spin-dominating’ Lucknow pitch

TIL Desk Sports/ Though India registered a nervy six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second T20I, captain Hardik Pandya criticised the ‘spin-dominating’ pitch here, calling it shocker of a wicket and not suitable for T20 cricket. Indian bowlers — Arshdeep Singh (2-7), Yuzvendra Chahal (1-4), Kuldeep Yadav (1-17), Deepak Hooda (1-17), Washington Sundar (1-17) and Hardik Pandya (1-25) — produced a sensational performance to restrict New Zealand to 99/8 in 20 overs.

Chasing a small total on a challenging pitch, India were also in trouble after they were reduced to 50/3 in 10.4 overs but Suryakumar Yadav once again showed his class. Yadav played a crucial knock (26 not out off 31), stitched vital partnerships with Washington Sundar (10) and Hardik Pandya (15 not out), and eventually hit the winning boundary for India in the last over.

“To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket. Both the games we have played so far. I don’t mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but these two wickets are not made for T20. Somewhere down the line the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches earlier,” Hardik Pandya said in the post-match presentation.