Chahal criticises flat pitches after West Indies chase down 250

Match Action

India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal says flat pitches offer no help to bowlers after West Indies chased down a target of 250 in the second T20I. India posted 249 for 5 in their innings, but West Indies chased it down with nearly two overs to spare to level the five-match series at 1-1. West Indies captain Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 102 runs from 45 balls, hitting nine sixes and four fours. Sherfane Rutherford supported him with 84 runs from 37 balls. Earlier, India put up a big total after Sanju Samson hit 82 runs from 41 balls. Ishan Kishan added 43 runs from 22 balls, captain Shreyas Iyer scored 40 runs from 18 balls, and Tilak Varma made 44 runs from 18 balls. Roston Chase took three wickets for 24 runs in four overs for the West Indies.

Bowler Concerns

Chahal stated that old balls, dew, and smaller grounds make it very hard for bowlers to succeed on such surfaces. He also pointed to the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, which has led to teams scoring 70 to 80 runs in the first six overs. He remarked that bowlers might as well just use a bowling machine if pitches do not offer them any assistance.

Context

Modern T20 cricket often features high-scoring matches due to smaller boundaries, bat-friendly pitches, and tactical rules that favour batsmen. Bowlers frequently face tough conditions in short-format matches where scoring rates remain high throughout the innings.