‘On a better batting pitch, I will back India more’ – Abhinav Mukund predicts visitors to win T20I series against West Indies

Indian Cricket Team. (Photo Source: RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)

India needed to win the third T20I in Guyana to stay afloat in the five-match series against the West Indies. They managed to do so primarily thanks to their spinners and the Mumbai Indians duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. Chasing a target of 160, the ‘Men in Blue’ finished the match with seven wickets and 13 balls to spare. The series is intriguingly poised at 2-1 in favour of Rovman Powell’s men with the next two games set to be played in the USA.

The fourth T20I will be played in Lauderhill, Florida on Saturday, August 12 and the final game will be held at the same venue on the following day. Lauderhill has produced some high-scoring matches as Indian batters have enjoyed themselves in the past. Ex-India opener Abhinav Mukund felt that Hardik Pandya’s men would be the favourites on a better batting pitch.

“I think they’re happy with the comeback. On a better batting pitch, I will back India a bit more. Today, the cutters did not work because the pitch got better to bat on,” Mukund said on JioCinema after the game.

India have a formidable record against the West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida

Hardik Pandya and Co. will take confidence from the fact that they have a very good record at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida, where the last two T20Is will be held. In the six matches they have played at the venue, they have won on four occasions while having tasted defeat only once. Another match ended in a ‘No Result’.

On their last visit to Florida in August 2022, the Indian team emerged victorious relatively easily in both the T20Is they played. The 29-year-old Hardik would hope for a similar performance from his young team as they cannot afford any slip-ups.