DUBAI: Fast bowlers will need a varied skill-set to conquer the ‘tired’ pitches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia’s Pat Cummins said ahead of their Twenty20 World Cup opener against South Africa on Saturday.

The pacers would be a worried lot heading into the World Cup looking for ways to master the dry and slow pitches in the UAE. The UAE also hosted the second leg of the IPL, meaning fast bowlers face the prospect of toiling on worn-out pitches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

“A couple of wickets have been tired and a couple of times you get some really good wickets,” Cumm­ins told reporters on Thursday.

“In Twenty20, you got to have a few different varieties. Bowling with a new ball upfront is going to look quite different to how you bowl in the end. So you’ve got to be able to adapt and have two or three different spells within the 20 overs...”

The 28-year-old felt conditions in the UAE would significantly differ depending on match timing and bowlers would need to adjust accordingly.

“The night games tend to be a bit more batter-friendly. There’s a bit of dew around and the ball skids on whereas the day games are a bit drier. I think the biggest difference is when we talk about it being dry. That kind of brings in the slower balls. Night games, if they start sliding on, you’ve got to look at other options. Maybe it’s yorkers, bouncers, and try different deliveries where the pitch is friendly for us bowlers.”

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2021