T20 World Cup 2021 | Fast bowlers need different varieties to excel on UAE pitches, says Pat Cummins

Australia, one of the strong contenders for winning the T20 World Cup 2021 title, will start their campaign against South Africa on October 23 in Abu Dhabi. The Aaron Finch-led side will be looking forward to starting off their opening fixture with a victory against the Proteas. Australia claimed a three-wicket win against New Zealand in the first warm-up match, but they suffered an eight-wicket defeat against India in the second match.

Meanwhile, Pat Cummins has stated that the fast bowlers need to have different varieties in order to trouble the batsmen on the UAE pitches. The Australian pacer further added that the pitches in the Gulf country are "tired", and the bowlers will have to be at their best to scalp wickets.

"A couple of wickets have been tired and a couple times you get some really good wickets," Cummins told a virtual news conference on Thursday sharing his warm-up match experience.

"In Twenty20, you got to have a few different varieties. Bowling with a new ball up front is going to look quite different to how you bowl in the end.

"So you've got to be able to adapt and have two or three different spells within the 20 overs,” Cummins said.

Pat Cummins, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of five months stated that the match results in UAE will differ according to the timings and schedule. He further stated that the fast bowlers should get accustomed to the conditions in the Gulf country.

"I think the biggest difference is when we talk about it being dry. That kind of brings in the slower balls."

"Night games, if they start sliding on, you've got to look at other options. Maybe it's yorkers, bouncers, and try different deliveries where the pitch is friendly for us bowlers."

Australia are placed alongside England, South Africa, and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 12s, with two more teams to join after completion of Round 1.