Emirates Old Trafford Manchester pitch report: In the winner takes it all series decider tomorrow, India take on England in the final ODI.
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After humbling England with a 10-wicket defeat in the first of the three-match ODI series at The Oval, team India were overpowered in the second ODI at the Lord’s, suffering a massive 100-run defeat, to take the high-octane series into the decider on Sunday at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
While the bowlers turned up with impressive back-to-back performances, it was the famous Indian batting line-up that led them down, as English left-arm pacer Reece Topley with his six-wicket haul, went on to register the record of notching-up the best ever figures by an England bowler in ODI cricket.
The final action of India’s all-format tour to England would take place in Manchester tomorrow, with team India, led by Rohit Sharma, having their eyes on their first ODI bilateral series win on England soil since 2014.
Emirates Old Trafford Manchester pitch report
Team India would play an ODI at The Old Trafford for the first time since the bitter memories of the 2019 World Cup semi-final versus New Zealand.
Also, with the venue set to host its first ODI since September 2020 tomorrow, one can expect runs on offer aplenty, with teams having posted scores in excess of 290 six times in the last nine ODIs here.
Having said that, during the ongoing T20 Blast matches at this ground, teams have not gone on to post humongous scores while batting first, thereby suggestive of decent enough purchase for the bowlers on this wicket as well.
Also, akin the first two ODIs of this series, the pacers would get the required purchase on this pitch especially with the new ball in hand, but would find it hard to stop the run flow once the batters get their eye in.
All in all, the batters are the ones who would enjoy their time out their in the middle, with teams batting first having won eight of the last nine ODIs at this venue.
