NEW DELHI: As New Zealand prepare to face West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, head coach Gary Stead expressed his disappointment with the practice facilities.
The team was unable to have a proper training session due to the unsatisfactory condition of the practice pitches after a brief spell of rain.
"We had that downpour for about five minutes, and the practice wickets got wet out in the middle. I know the priority was obviously for the match wicket to get covered, but when we went back and tried them they were pretty slippery to stand up on," Gary Stead said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The team had to settle for a fielding session instead, as the practice pitches were deemed unsuitable for batting or bowling.
"The balls were going through the top of the surface, so we had a good fielding training instead. It was deemed not really acceptable to get anything out of the nets," he added.
The rainy season has commenced in Trinidad, and the meteorological office has warned of potential thunderstorms. However, the forecast for Wednesday night's match appears more favorable.
New Zealand's preparation for the tournament has been limited, and their batsmen have had few opportunities to face fast bowling in the nets since arriving in Trinidad. The team travelled from Guyana on Saturday and encountered similar issues during their training session on Sunday.
With New Zealand facing the possibility of an early exit from the tournament, they will need to significantly improve their performance against co-hosts West Indies in a crucial T20 World Cup match at Providence Stadium. This follows their unexpected loss to Afghanistan in their opening game of the tournament.
(With ANI inputs)
