Hardik Pandya angry at BCCI and pitch curators amid T20 World Cup

Hardik Pandya exposes India team weakness by asking more 'flat wickets': India had a statement win in their second group stage game against Namibia, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on Thursday. Despite the wicket being sticky, India were off to a flying start with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, striking at blistering pace. The latter once again showcased his hot form as he smashed a 20-ball 50 in the game.

Ishan Kishan scored 61 off 24 balls and helped India to get the start they needed. Sanju also found a little form, scoring 22 off 8 deliveries. However, it was all Hardik Pandya show later on in the innings. While the Men in Blue were struggling in the middle overs against the spinners, Hardik, who took his time to assess the conditions, scored a brilliant half-century.

Hardik Pandya show in Delhi

Hardik smashed 28-ball 52 in the game and controlled the middle overs for India along with Shivam Dube, as the latter smashed 23 off 16 deliveries. Hardik, in his explosive innings, struck four boundaries and as many sixes. He also bowled brilliantly, picking up two wickets in his four-over spell, giving out just 21 runs.

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This all-round performance earned Hardik Pandya the Man of the Match. After winning the award, Hardik Pandya expressed his feeling that India would like to play on flatter pitches after the two pitches they played on were a bit sticky, as the ball was holding and turning a bit at Delhi.

Hardik Pandya needs a bit of flat wickets

Hardik Pandya said after receiving his Player-of-the-Match award, "Two back-to-back pitches haven't been batting-friendly. Wicket was holding a bit today. You just adapt and let your skill-set work. We'd like a little more flatter wickets."

However, when Ishan Kishan was batting, the pitch appeared to be a belter, but he agreed with Pandya that it "wasn't that easy" and wasn't nearly the pitch they had become familiar with during the buildup to the event. Kishan smacked six fours and five sixes in his explosive innings.

The Southpaw also gave credit to the Namibia bowlers, after they slowed down the game, when India was 104 in the 7 overs. At the end, India also suffered a collapse of 5 for 4, as Suryakumar Yadav’s side could only score 209.

"In both the wickets, I feel it was a bit different from what we expected to happen," Kishan said at the press conference. "And today, looking at the death overs, when we were not able to regularly hit big sixes, I think we need to also give credit to Namibia bowlers because they were bang on with their yorkers, they were bang on with their slower ones."

India needs to adapt quickly to slower wickets

The left-hander further added, "Maybe if some other team is doing the same thing, maybe we can use the crease more or we can do something different, which can irritate the bowler. So it was a good learning in this game and especially I think it was not about our batters not being able to hit sixes, but it was more of them bowling very well in the death overs."

India needs to assess the conditions soon, as in their next game against Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, they might even get a slower wicket with more turn, as the pitches of Sri Lanka have been over the years. Their arch-rivals will go with a combination of four or five spinners in their next game against India.

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