Ind-WI 2nd T20 | MS Dhoni disappointed with abandoned match, says he has played in worse conditions

08/29/2016

The wet outfield at the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida ended India’s hopes of levelling the series, but after the match, Indian skipper, MS Dhoni said that the outfield was not a big concern of his team. However, the Windies captain Carlos Brathwaite said that it was “unsafe” for play.

Abizarre turn of events on Sunday ended India’s hopes of winning the second T20 at Florida. First, the match started 40 minutes late after the broadcasters suffered a technical problem. Once the game began, Indian bowlers ruled the roost and bowled out West Indies, who scored 245 on the same ground a day ago, for 143. But, India’s hopes of a win ended two overs into the chase after a 20-minute rain left the outfield wet. With no super soppers available on the ground, the 20-minute shower was enough to deny the remaining three overs needed for a result. Having won the first T20, West Indies lifted the trophy leaving Indians to rue the rain, wet outfield, and technical delay.

Speaking after the match, Indian skipper MS Dhoni seemed disappointed about the result, and said that he had played in worse conditions in his career.

"What the umpires told us, there was not adequate equipment over here and the condition of it was quite bad, so because the conditions wouldn't improve we won't be able to play a game," Dhoni said. "That's a call that the match officials have to make and as far as I've played close to 10 years of international cricket and frankly I've played under worse off conditions.

"If I remember in 2011, the whole ODI series that we played in England, it was literally playing under the rain. I feel definitely the conditions … ultimately the umpires decide so they decide you play, we play. If they say okay it was unfit for play, it was unfit for play.

"It was on this side where me and Bravo were standing but it was far away from all the run-ups of the bowlers. There is no Shoaib Akhtar in their team so I don't think it was a big concern," the Indian skipper said.

Contrary to Dhoni’s statements, West Indies skipper Carlos Brathwaite said that the outfield was “unsafe”.

So, in my opinion, it was unsafe."

Carlos Brathwaite

"There were about two or three," Brathwaite said, when asked which areas of the field were a cause of concern. "Looking from the pavilion, the run-ups on that side and just beside the sponsor's [painted ad on field] plus probably mid-on and then there was a little patch on the side looking from the pavilion again.

"So, in my opinion, it was unsafe, and even if the run-ups were good and a guy hits a ball in the outfield in a fast-paced T20 game and he chases behind it and pulls something, that could be the end of a guy's career. So not only will we want to play, we want the facilities and the atmosphere to be as safe for everyone's career as possible. In my opinion, I don't think it was and the umpires also made that decision as well."

Although the result was disappointing, Dhoni said that the Indian team would like to come to the USA and play more in the future.

"This is one place where we can come back and play lot of cricket may be a triangular or a four-nation ODI or T20 series. It will be better to play T20s to start off. The venue looks good. It will also give us time to spend more time in the US, we played back to back games. It will easily fit into our schedule because at this time of year we don't play many games at home," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

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