The surface used for the second T20 between India and New Zealand came in for heavy criticism as spinners dominated the day-night game and batsmen failed to hit a single six in 39.5 overs.
The Ekana Stadium pitch provided prodigious turn and bounce for the spinners, forcing both captains to rely almost exclusively on the slow bowlers.
New Zealand could only manage 99-8 batting first, as India suffocated them by using four spinners. However, the Kiwis managed to stretch the contest to the penultimate delivery of the match before India eked out a six-wicket win to level the T20 series at 1-1.
Spinners from both sides bowled 30 of the total 40 overs and not a single six was hit by a batsman, a first for a T20 in India.
Suryakumar Yadav's uncharacteristically restrained 26 not out off 31 balls was the highest individual score by a batter.
"To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket," India captain Hardik Pandya said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"I don't mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but these two wickets are not made for T20.
"Somewhere down the line the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches in time."
The wicket in the first T20 between the teams at Ranchi also favoured spin bowlers. There, New Zealand won by 21 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
On Sunday, the Kiwis just used 2.5 of overs from their fast bowlers. Spinners Michael Bracewell and Ish Sodhi took a wicket each.
"We bowled 17 overs of spin, definitely something different," said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. "With the bounce out there, it looked challenging."
In fact, Santner said he considered making fast bowler Lockie Ferguson bowl off-spin.
"I was trying to find them [spinners] from everywhere," Santner said.
"I was asking Lockie if he could bowl some off-spin. I think you don't often see more than 12 overs of spin out there."
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Asia Cup Qualifier
Final
UAE v Hong Kong
Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am
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The specs
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
