Team India will soon play their first match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The March 1 match against West Indies is scheduled to start from 7:00 PM IST and is effectively a virtual quarterfinal for the defending champions, as the winner will qualify for the Semi-finals of the tournament.
Ahead of the important Super 8 match, the pitch of the Eden Gardens becomes a topic for discussion among cricket fans and experts. What will be the nature of the wicket? Eden Gardens pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee faced the question.
CAB president Sourav Ganguly closely monitored the Eden Gardens’ pitch
Before the high-profile match, Sourav Ganguly, president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), closely observed the pitch from both ends before it went under the cover. According to the media, the surface, along with the pitch, is well protected in the outfield.
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Sujan Mukherjee claimed that, after taking a close look at the track, the former India captain looked pleased. Both were spotted in a long chat on the ground along with the board’s chief curator, Ashish Bhowmick.
“Ganguly appeared happy seeing the preparation of the pitch which was last used for the second World Cup match. It’s a typical Eden wicket full of runs and there would be something in it for the bowlers too,” Mukherjee told the media, as quoted by PTI.
What will be the nature of the pitch for the India vs West Indies match?
Mukherjee hinted, during the India vs West Indies match, that batters can enjoy their time on the deck, as a high-scoring match is possible. Though the local pitch curator did not want to mark the pitch as the batters’ paradise. Bowlers can also find some resources on the surface.
If we take a look at the previous matches, on this ground, spinners get some turns as the match progresses. But, during the England fixtures, the pacers got some extra bounce as well. Fast bowlers like Jofra Archer might have definitely relished his pacey deliveries flying over the batters’ shoulders.
In the India vs West Indies match, if the pitch offers extra turn, then there will be Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel to do their job. And if the pitch acts for the pacers, then the Men in Blue can keep attacking the stumps through Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube.
West Indies vs Scotland match was held on the same surface
According to a report, the Super Eights clash between India and the West Indies will be held on the strip that hosted the second match of the T20 World Cup.
The second match of the T20 World Cup 2026 was between the West Indies and Scotland. West Indies went to bat first and registered 182 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs. Scotland tried their best while chasing the target, but could get 147 runs in 18.5 overs before being bowled out.
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