India’s stand-in captain Hardik Pandya criticized the pitches used in the first two T20 Internationals against New Zealand and expressed hope that a better surface would be prepared for Wednesday’s decider in Ahmedabad.
Pandya and New Zealand counterpart Mitchell Santner were surprised by the sharp turn around in the first match of the series in Ranchi, where the visiting team won by 21 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The spinners played an even more effective role in the second match in Lucknow on Sunday, where New Zealand scored 99-8 but managed to take the match to the death before India won by six wickets.