Cricket will enter into unchartered territory to reach out to the untapped American market when the sport’s most followed practitioners, India lock horns with the West Indies in their first worldwide T20 game here Saturday. “We know the US, the expats and the huge Indian diaspora who want quality cricket to come to the US”, Kumble said, reported the Press Trust of India. Few of the other nations have played cricket here before and not to forget some of the T20 leagues that have happened. The infrastructure looks good. The ground is ideal when it comes to the playing area. I presume it will be drop-in pitches and such pitches are usually very good.
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“Earlier, people living in USA used to travel to the Caribbean to support us but now they have the opportunity to catch the action here itself”, added.
West Indies will play Pakistan in their first day-night Test, using the newly minted pink ball in Dubai, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday. The matches will give an idea about the possibility of hosting a “minIPL” some time in the future. Dhoni also opened up about coach Anil Kumble and cricket in the USA.
“I certainly felt that it could be a makeshift”. The practice facilities, too, are good and the outfield is fantastic. All in all, really impressed with the way facilities are here.
“We have played in the past in the West Indies and a lot of Indians come over from the USA to watch us”.
The current head coach of West Indies recollected fond memories of beating India in the World T20 semifinal in Mumbai and said that playing against top sides serves as a motivation to do well.
Contrary to the Test cricket squad, World T20 champions, West Indies boast some of the most established names in this format of the game – Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell and skipper Carlos Brathwaite – who are more than capable of giving India a run for their money.
“I think a team like this will be pretty easy to lead, from the point of view that the dressing room is a fun place to be”, said Brathwaite.
“In this context, I think it’s a case where we are world champions and it’s something we have made our own, similar to back in the ’80s when we made Test cricket our own”.
Beginning on September 23, the teams will play three Twenty20 internationals, three one-day internationals and as many Test matches in the United Arab Emirates. India, meanwhile, have no worries over their confidence levels heading into the weekend.
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They have enjoyed a solid run in T20 series in recent times, winning in Australia, Sri Lanka and claiming the Asia Cup before recovering to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in June.
