If the larger boundaries at most venues have boosted the confidence of bowlers converged on Australia for the T20 World Cup, they would be wise to temper their exuberance with a forecast run-flood from the Super 12 stage of the competition.
The shortest format of cricket is unabashedly slanted in favour of the batter, and bowlers, who are frequently portrayed as cannon fodder, enjoy a dot ball almost as much as they would a dismissal in one-day games or tests.
However, according to ground dimensions, shots that would reach the rope in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth might not even pass the border in most stadiums in the subcontinent and New Zealand.
Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand, predicts that when the finest batsmen in the world start hitting, bowlers would still have their work cut out for them.
The 50-year-old stated on Sunday, “I think what T20 cricket has undoubtedly done is made teams much more comfortable in chasing bigger scores.
Therefore, if you are defending scores of 150–170, you will need to bowl quite well, as was demonstrated during the tri-series (in Christchurch).
Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, participated in the 2007 World Cup, so he has firsthand knowledge of how the game has changed over time. Rohit Sharma thinks Australia will likely follow suit in favour of larger totals.
Rohit remarked at the pre-tournament captains news conference that “you can practically see how it is played now compared to what it was like in 2007.”
“Back then, 140 or 150 was a respectable score, and today many strive to reach that number in 14 or 15 overs.
Teams now take more chances without considering the outcome, and in my opinion, it is a terrific way to play this style.
The 35-year-old stated that under his leadership, India, the tournament’s first-place finisher, would play that way.
He continued, “This is the kind of structure where there is risk, but there are also big returns.”
“We must have the courage to take those risks and be ready to do that as well.”
As they discovered during practise matches in Perth and Brisbane, where several batters were caught close to the rope, India’s preparation included thinking of methods to score easily even when hitting sixes is not so easy.
On such surfaces, you must be strategic in how you plan your batting, according to Rohit.
Of course, hitting boundaries and sixes sounds wonderful, but don’t forget to force the ball through the gap and run hard between the wickets in an effort to earn eight to nine runs every over.
