12 October,2024 08:49 AM IST | Sharjah | Santosh Suri
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The Indian women's team took over an hour's coach ride from Dubai to the Sharjah cricket stadium on Friday to have a much-needed practice session ahead of their crucial last league fixture against Australia on Sunday.
All the teams have been practising only at the Academy ground at the ICC's headquarters in Dubai. India did the same for their three earlier games. They had also played their two warm-up matches there.
As for the Sharjah Stadium, let alone playing there, the Indians had not even seen it. So, before their all-important game that will decide the fate of Group A, the management thought it fit to familiarise their players with the conditions and dimensions of this ground which is very different from that of the Dubai Stadium.
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The pitch is slow and low while the boundaries are much shorter. The floodlight system is also quite old. Besides batting and bowling, Team India did a lot of catching which will be vital under floodlights.
As for the Australians, they are familiar with the Sharjah conditions, having played and beaten New Zealand here by a whopping 82-run margin earlier in the tournament.
