IPL 9: Wankhede Stadium pitch to be yet another batting paradise

The Wankhede Stadium proved to be a batting paradise in the recently-concluded ICC World T20. Looks like it won't disappoint the willow wielders in the Indian Premier League as well. As for the bowlers, it will be graveyard for them.

Rohit Sharma speaks to groundsmen at Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

mid-day was surprised to see the pitch being rolled horizontally yesterday ahead of today's Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiants game as against being rolled straight up. "Horizontal rolling makes it a flat wicket - a ‘pata' track. It will be helpful to batsmen and bowlers will have to do something different to earn their wickets," former Test opener and Wankhede Stadium consultant curator Sudhir Naik told mid-day.

All four World T20 matches played at this venue witnessed huge totals. Most recently, on March 31, West Indies got to the 193-run target set by India by losing just three wickets to enter the final. Before that, West Indies chased England's 182 on March 16. In another high-scoring match, England chased down South Africa's massive 229 thanks to Joe Root's 44-ball-83. And minnows Afghanistan lost to Proteas by 37 runs after they scored 172 in reply to South Africa's 209.