Cricket News: Ahmedabad pitch report – how will it play in the World Cup Final? | Will the Ahmedabad pitch spin in the 2023 World Cup Final?
Much has been made of the pitches in the World Cup. The whole furore around the Mumbai surface for the semi-final between India and New Zealand did little to disrupt the hosts’ magnificent run in this tournament, eventually winning by 70 runs after thumping 397/4.
So, what does the Ahmedabad pitch have in store? In this World Cup, the surface has played pretty well, offering something to everyone, particularly the bowlers. The average first innings score in four matches was just 248.25, with Australia’s 286 against England the highest. Also, both the team batting first and second won two games each, with India winning their game with ease, beating Pakistan by seven wickets and 117 balls to spare after dismissing them for 191.
What will the Ahmedabad pitch be like for the 2023 ODI World Cup Final?
The dry nature of the surface plus the pressure of a World Cup Final will surely prompt the captain who wins the toss to bat first. Speaking to PTI, an Ahmedabad pitch curator said “if a heavy roller is being used on a black soil strip then the idea is to create a slow batting track where you can get a big score but you possibly can’t consistently hit through the line. 315 could be a defendable score as batting second will be difficult.”
So, the pitch is likely to take turn. Also, the pace bowlers could look to bowl cutters into the wicket and make the batsmen hit to the big square boundaries.
Australia captain Pat Cummins inspected the surface and took photos on the eve of the match. Speaking to the media in the pre-match press conference, Cummins said the surface looked a good one.
“Yeah, just had a look. I’m not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm,” he said. “They’ve only just watered it, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and have a look, but it looks like a pretty good wicket.”
Its firmness may also bring the pace bowlers into the game. Both sides have bowlers who can get the ball to carry through nicely. However, there are some drier patches on the surfaces in the photos that have surfaced online, which should make spin a factor.
In terms of the final itself, India start as undoubted favourites. They have won all ten matches quite comfortably in this World Cup, including Australia by six wickets back on October 8 at Chennai. However, the Australians have bounced back well after a poor start to the World Cup, winning their past eight matches including a hard-fought three wicket win in the semi-final against a fancied South Africa unit.
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