'Even the curator doesn't know how the pitch will behave' - Rohit Sharma before IND vs PAK T20 World Cup clash

Every cricket fan is waiting for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan blockbuster clash at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup on June 9, but one factor remains a major unknown, the behavior of the pitch at New York. As the two teams prepare to face off on Sunday, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opened up about the challenging New York pitch.

The build-up to this marquee event has been dominated by discussions around the pitch conditions. The ICC had promised to address concerns after the game between South Africa and the Netherlands raised eyebrows. With the Dutch being restricted to just 103/9, and South Africa struggling at 3-3 in their chase, doubts over the pitch's nature have only increased.

When a Pakistani journalist inquired about India's potential advantage, given their experience on the same surface, Rohit offered a sarcastic response saying that the curator himself was unaware of pitch behavior.

"This is not our home either, yes we have played a couple of games here, but a few of our training sessions have been washed out too, and about the pitch, well even the curator doesn't know how the pitch will behave," Rohit said at the pre-match conference.

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I think both the teams will have similar opportunities: Rohit Sharma

Speaking about the unfamiliarity with drop-in pitches for subcontinental teams, Rohit explained that the Australian curator is still determining how much grass to take out. He emphasized that both sides will face similar challenges, and the better team on the day will win.

"I think both the teams will have similar opportunities and whoever plays better will win," Rohit added.

The Babar Azam-led side's surprise loss in their opening fixture to the United States of America was also discussed, but Rohit refused to underestimate their opponents. 

"This is a format where anything can happen anywhere. In the last T20 World Cup, they lost to Zimbabwe and then went on to play the final. Here, you cannot think much about the opposition, because form doesn't take too long to come and go," Rohit further added.

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Despite nursing a few injuries sustained during the opening game against Ireland, the Indian skipper remains determined, drawing inspiration from India's famous Gabba Test victory in 2021.

"It's tough, but as far as I am concerned, blows don't count for anything. You have to cross those hurdles. If you remember the Gabba Test (in January 2020), we won it because of mental toughness. These are the moments where you test yourself, all players who want to make a name for himself have to thrive in these moments," he concluded.