India vs Sri Lanka: Chemicals Being Used To Minimise Effect Of Dew In Second T20I

All eyes will be on the upcoming second T20I between India and Sri Lanka now after the series-opener in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Despite rain lasting less than an hour after the toss, the ground staff could not prepare the pitches for the game to go ahead.

At first, it looked like the game would go ahead after the toss took place without any rain interruption. But just moments before Virat Kohli and his men could take the field, rain arrived. The showers lasted less than an hour and the ground staff immediately covered the pitch – and the bowlers’ run-ups.

However, it did not stop the water from falling onto the pitch. The ground staff then resorted to various measures, ranging from using hair-dryers to steam irons, in order to dry the wet patches near the middle of the pitch, but to no avail. And almost three hours after the game was about to start, the umpires called off the game.

Also Read: The Series Against India Is Going To Be ”Awesome” – Tim Paine

Dew counter method:

After the disappointing end to the first T20I, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has been taking all sorts of measures to make sure the second game is played without any issue. While there is no prediction of rain in Indore, dew could make things tougher for the players and thus the association has been spraying a special chemical on the outfield at the Holkar Stadium here.

MPCA chief curator Samander Singh Chauhan said on Monday that to beat the effects of dew, a special chemical was being sprayed over the ground since the last three days. He also revealed that no water is being sprayed on the grass since the last three days to minimise the effects of dew.

“We sincerely hope the spectators will get to see fours and sixes raining in the match,” he was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

More often than not, the dew plays a decisive role in deciding the outcome of the games. Teams batting second get an unfair advantage since the bowlers find it tough to grip the balls.