Team India conducted their first training session at the Cantiague Park in New York, ahead of their T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh on Saturday, June 1.
Virat Kohli was a notable absence in the practice session, as he is yet to join up with the India team. The training however included Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson, who were the among the second batch of players to arrive in New York from the IPL.
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Is Hardik Pandya working on his bowling ahead of the T20 World Cup?
In the absence of Kohli, the focus was largely on Hardik during the practice session. The all-rounder, whom the Indian team will rely on for his resourcefulness, was seen bowling for at least 40 minutes in the nets.
After his underwhelming performance in the recent IPL 2024, he was seen having a long chat with the batting coach, Vikram Rathour and then spent a significant amount of time batting during the training session.
How did Hardik Pandya perform in IPL 2024?
As the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, Hardik Pandya had an underwhelming season as his team finished last in the points table, with just 4 wins and 10 losses in their 14 matches.
| Matches | Runs | Bat Avg | SR | HS | Wickets | Bowl Avg | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 216 | 18 | 143 | 46 | 11 | 35.18 | 10.75 |
Individually, it was not a lot better either, as he managed to score only 216 runs at an average of just 18 with the bat, and with the ball, he picked up 11 wickets at a poor average of 35.18 and an economy over 10.
The Indian consequently was under a lot of pressure throughout the tournament and received criticisms from both fans and the pundits. However, he still remains one of the key players for Team India heading into the World Cup due to the flexibility he offers, with his all-round skills.
India's schedule for the T20 World Cup 2024
Team India will play Ireland on June 5 at New York to start off their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
| Date | Time (IST) | Opposition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2024 | 8 PM | Ireland | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 9, 2024 | 8 PM | Pakistan | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 12, 2024 | 8 PM | USA | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 15, 2024 | 8 PM | Canada | Central Broward Park, Lauderhill |
Four days after their opening fixture, they will face off against their archrivals Pakistan, on June 9, followed by games against the North American co-hosts USA and Canada.
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