England-Bangladesh Cricket World Cup Match In Doubt As Overnight Rain Affects Outfield

Summary: The day before the game, England captain Jos Buttler had expressed his concerns about the subpar condition of the HPCA Stadium outfield, cautioning his players to be vigilant during fielding and bowling.

Amidst ongoing discussions about the condition of the Dharamsala outfield for the England-Bangladesh World Cup match, late-night rains have raised concerns about the pitch's readiness for Tuesday's game.

Despite the skies having cleared up and the sun shining, the ground staff has been busy addressing the dusty patches, which appeared muddy less than two hours before the game was scheduled to begin. More than a dozen ground staff workers have focused their efforts on the bowlers' run-up areas on either side of the wicket at the college end.

The day before the match, England's captain, Jos Buttler, had criticized the HPCA Stadium outfield, describing it as substandard. He cautioned his players to exercise caution during fielding and bowling.

He stated, "It's contrary to the spirit of how we want to play as a team. We aim to go all out to save a run, even diving through a row of houses if necessary. However, given the outfield's current condition, it's not ideal. We won't use it as an excuse, but it does hinder our ability to perform as a team as we'd like."

The outfield at the venue became a point of contention when it became evident that both the Afghanistan and Bangladesh teams encountered challenges while attempting to chase the ball during the first match held there. These difficulties raised concerns about the field's condition. Specifically, Afghanistan's coach, Jonathan Trott, expressed relief that Mujeeb Ur Rahman did not sustain a severe injury when his knee became stuck during a diving effort in the outfield. This incident highlighted the potentially hazardous conditions of the playing surface.