‘Looks like a pretty good wicket’ – Pat Cummins analyses Narendra Modi Stadium’s pitch ahead of final match of ODI World Cup 2023

India and Australia will meet for the final match of the ODI World Cup 2023 on 19 November at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will commence from 2 PM IST however the official broadcaster is expected to begin the live coverage from 7 AM. 

Both the teams began preparing for the finals in the practice session on 18 November from 5 PM. While talking about the pitch for the finals the Australian captain Pat Cummins described it to be firm and called the Motera pitch to be a pretty good wicket. 

Pat Cummins on Motera Stadium’s pitch for the final game of ODI World Cup 2023

“I’m not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm. They’ve only just watered it, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and have a look, but it looks like a pretty good wicket,” said Pat Cummins while talking to ESPNcricinfo by looking at the pitch for the final match of the ODI World Cup 2023. 

While addressing the media, Cummins talked about the bowling side of Australia and said, “You’ve got to be brave with some of the balls you use, slower balls, bouncers; you’ve got to find that balance between mixing it up and not going chasing too much. I think we’ve struck that balance pretty well, and at least over here in India, a lot of times by the end of the innings, things like cutters work perhaps better than they do elsewhere in the world,” 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard to say; it’s obviously the same for both teams. No doubt, playing on your own wicket in your own country has some advantages, similar to wickets that you’ve been playing your whole life. But we’ve played a lot of cricket over here,” he added. 

IND vs AUS Predictable Playing XI 

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami

Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (VC), Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Adam Zampa