(AP Photo)
Australia’s all-rounder Marcus Stoinis remarked on Thursday that low scores and sluggish pitches appear to be a prevailing trend in the ongoing T20 World Cup. However, he remains optimistic that pitch conditions will improve as the tournament progresses.
In their tournament opener against Oman, Australia secured a 39-run victory after posting a total of 164/5, which is relatively high compared to other matches in the tournament thus far. Stoinis played a pivotal role in the victory, scoring a rapid 67 off 36 balls and also taking three wickets, earning him the player of the match accolade.
During the post-game press conference, Stoinis was asked whether the low scores in the tournament, a departure from the high-scoring matches seen in the IPL last month, have surprised him.
“Yeah, it wasn’t a shock I think from watching the games so far, it seems like that’s going to be the theme of the tournament. But it’s one thing watching it from the side and then another thing to adapt yourself while you’re out there.
“So, it was fine. It just took some getting used to, I guess,” he said.
Criticism is mounting towards the pitches at the Nassau County ground in the US leg of the tournament, where India faced off against Ireland in a low-scoring match on Wednesday. The pitch’s uneven bounce led to Ireland being dismissed for a mere 96 runs, and both India’s skipper Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant experienced discomfort due to the erratic nature of the surface.
Stoinis, aged 34, expressed his anticipation that the pitch conditions will improve for batsmen as the tournament unfolds.
“Yeah, it is a bit difficult, the ball in the second inning, it is a bit sticky. And the spinners also gripping the ball sometimes, the ball is getting low,” he said.
“And when I played Maxwell, one or two balls maybe the wicket holds the ball and it spins. So, it is still a bit difficult, but compared to the previous match it’s better.
“Today it’s a better wicket. I hope the more matches we play in this wicket; the more wickets will go better,” he added.
Stoinis, representing Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, emphasized that his consistent participation in the tournament over the years has contributed significantly to his growth as a player.
“I think I’ve been going to the IPL for 10 years now so it always feels at the end of IPL when you finish IPL, you’re a better player so regardless of the 100 or not I think it’s a nice way to lead into a World Cup,” he said.
