Virender Sehwag

In the world of cricket average scores of 120 plus, in twenty overs, in any format of the game can be considered to be a satisfactory score. However with the increases in muscle power of cricketers as well as fearlessness generative in the youngsters has touched scores of 200 plus in the shortest format of the game called cricket.

Any T20 match which does not have a sufficient number of boundaries to its credit becomes a boring one and thus loses out on its viewership as far as the “idiot box” class is considered. Even the ones who are present in the stadium have nothing much to cheer about and find the match quite boring unless the match goes write up to the wire.

Thus it has become of immense importance that the pitches prepared for any match are batsmen friendly at least so far T20 matches are concerned. To support my argument I shall quote the words of one of the bravest and street smart cricketers in India, Virender Sehwag.

After the match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, which was played in Kochi, Sehwag said that the pitch was not worth being played on for a T20 match. In his words, “People are coming to watch fours and sixes and not to see 120 runs. If you give a track for bowlers and batsmen, I’m sure you’ll end up making 170 and 180 runs in 20 overs and everybody will enjoy the game.”

He also emphasizes on the fact that the number of runs a bowler is hit for is irrespective of the quality of the bowler as even the best of bowlers are hit around in this format of the game. Thus, he explains, “If you have good bowlers, you have skills then you can restrict the teams under 160 and 170… So in Twenty 20 you get a good track to bat on and that’s the thing players are looking forward to.”

Kings XI Punjab captain Adam Gilchrist too was not too happy with the pitch at the ecstatic Eden in the match against Kolkata on the 30th, as the pitch was turning quite a bit. Although he was not critical of the wicket yet he did express that the wicket was a bit challenging for the batsmen.

It is quite evident from the words of these players that what the fans expect is an array of fours and sixes to enjoy every bit of their money or to stay glued on to the television. Of course if the boundaries come from the home team, it would be like cherry on the cake.

It is quite obvious that every pitch cannot be batsman-friendly, but if most are, that is what will rope in the revenue for the franchisees as well as suffice the need of the viewers.

Tags: Cricket, Indian Premier League, IPL, IPL 2011, IPL 4, Pitch, T20 Cricket, Twenty Cricket, Virender Sehwag