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Cricket PlayersIndia vs Afghanistan 1st T20I in Mohali faces fog, dew challenge
Northern venues in India usually don't stage floodlit games in winter and Thursday's tie, starting at 7pm, could be hampered by poor visibility.
The Afghanistan cricketers seemed unfazed by the severe cold weather conditions during their nets on Tuesday ahead of the first T20I against India to be played at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium on Thursday. Back home, they are used to harsher winter temperatures.
While the cold wave could be a bigger problem for the Indian players, the conditions will be a challenge for both sides. The minimum temperature on Thursday is forecast to be around 5-6 degrees Celsius with heavy dew settling in after sunset, not to forget foggy conditions for the game to played under floodlights from 7pm.
It will be the first time that PCA is hosting a T20I game under floodlights in the winter. They have been hosting Tests and domestic matches at this time of the year but not a game under the lights.
Northern India is currently under a cold wave spell with foggy conditions, which has affected normal life. Fans coming to watch the game will have to brave the conditions seated in the open stands.
The PCA management is ready to combat dew on the pitch. Head curator Rakesh Kumar said: “PCA has been hosting domestic matches in the winter but they are held during the day. Thankfully, the fog has lessened in the last two-three days. As far as dew is concerned, we will be using Aspa chemical on the ground from today to keep the dew away. It is a wetting agent and has been successfully used in the past."
The second T20 will be played in Indore (Jan 14) and the last game in Bengaluru (Jan 17).
PCA last hosted Afghanistan for practice games ahead of the 2016 T20 World Cup. A team with world-class spinners they may have to bank more on seamers in these conditions. It applies to the Indian team as well. Dew would make it difficult for the bowlers to grip the ball.
In winter, the Mohali pitch usually aids the pacers with the moisture in the air helping the ball to swing. "As far as fog is concerned, it is not in our control. But we have stopped irrigation (watering) process in the ground so that during the match there is no excess moisture on the ground," Rakesh said.
The nearby Chandigarh Sector 16 Stadium hosted a Ranji Trophy match between Chandigarh and Railways, which ended in a draw. The game was affected by bad light. Usually, in peak winter in January, northern venues like Delhi, Mohali and Dharamsala don't host night matches.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and local lad Shubman Gill will be the players to watch, but the cold wave could prove a spoilsport for the fans.
The PCA Stadium hosted a semi-final in the 2011 ODI World Cup but did not get a game in the just-ended edition. BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, was thus keen to give India games to Mohali and Indore, which also missed out on a World Cup game. However, it seems not much planning went into allotting the game considering the weather. The PCA recently renovated the Mohali stadium while construction of its second international stadium in Mullanpur is on in full swing.
"It is great that PCA has got another international game within three months. A team of 11 groundsmen are working hard to make the game a success," Rakesh said. The venue hosted the India-Australia ODI just before the World Cup.
