"I'm not a great pitch reader, but...": Australia skipper Pat Cummins weighs in on surface ahead of WC final
Nov 18, 2023
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], November 18 : Ahead of what is being billed as a mouth-watering finale of the ongoing ODI World Cup between hosts India and five-time world champions Australia, Oz skipper Pat Cummins on Saturday said that a "good wicket" may be on offer for the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The highly anticipated clash between the two cricketing giants will mark a fitting end to what has been a spectacular event so far.
Addressing a press conference before the two teams cross swords in the battle to crown the new world champions, the Australia skipper also weighed in on the controversy around the last-minute change of pitch for India's semifinal clash with New Zealand.
Asked if he had a look at the surface on which the final will be played, Cummins said, "Again, I'm not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm. 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."
The Narendra Modi Stadium, the world's biggest cricketing arena, has, so far, hosted four matches in the tournament, with spinners contributing significantly to the outcome of these games.
Even though pacers have claimed a total of 35 wickets in the tournament, the spinners have also had a fair share of the spoils, scalping 22 wickets.
Overall, the spinners have turned out to be more economical in comparison to the speedsters.
The tweakers also left a telling impression in the middle overs of games while the pacers, especially the Indian trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, have been lethal in the opening overs.
Both the finalists this year have played a match apiece at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Kuldeep Yadav produced a deadly spell in the league clash against Pakistan at Ahmedabad, scalping 2/35.
While leggie Adam Zampa picked up 3/21 against England at the same stadium in the league phase.
With regard to the speed merchants, Bumrah was influential for the hosts at Ahmedabad with figures of 2/19 against the traditional rivals.
For Australia, skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood came up with lethal spells against England, scalping 2/49 each.
