Rain delays start of India vs Pakistan at T20 World Cup

In the six innings of the three matches hosted at the stadium so far, teams have surpassed the 100-run mark only twice (Pic: AFP)

The start of the T20 World Cup 2024 clash between India and Pakistan was delayed by 30 minuts due to light rain at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The rain began to fall about 90 minutes before the scheduled start time of 10:30 local (14:30 GMT) with the 34,000 capacity venue around half full. Organisers said the coin toss would be held at 10.30 with the start of the game scheduled for 11.00.

India won their T20 World Cup 2024 opening game against Ireland while Pakistan are still reeling from a shock defeat at the hands of co-hosts USA.

Meanwhile, heading into this high-profile contest, the 22-yard pitch remains a major talking point, having already faced significant criticism for its unpredictability, which the ICC has officially acknowledged.

In the six innings of the three matches hosted at the stadium so far, teams have surpassed the 100-run mark only twice. Some former players have wondered aloud whether the low-scoring conditions would be of any help in selling cricket to the American market through the showpiece.

The four drop-in pitches at the venue, laid in April under the supervision of Adelaide Oval groundsman Damian Hough, are yet to settle down properly.

Also Read: India vs Pakistan: Where cricket balls fly and diplomatic pleasantries die!

The uneven bounce of the surface has also raised safety concerns for the batters, especially after Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was hit on his shoulder, forcing him to stop batting during the tournament-opener against Ireland on June 5.

"I don't know what to expect from the pitch to be honest. We will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this (for Pakistan game). This is going to be a kind of game where all XI of us will need to contribute," Rohit had said after the game against Ireland.

A day after India's game, the ICC had to release a statement, addressing the growing concerns surrounding the pitches prepared for the New York-leg of this T20 World Cup.

"The ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted," the statement read.

The Pakistan team, however, is yet to acclimatise to the conditions at Nassau Stadium.

They arrived in New York on Thursday night following their shocking defeat to tournament debutants USA and took the next day off.

As a result, Babar Azam and his squad have had limited time to adjust to these challenging conditions, which could be a disadvantage heading into this crucial encounter.

And a defeat against India could significantly complicate their qualification prospects.