David Warner © Getty Images
Australia's David Warner said the T20 World Cup to be held in the US and West Indies will not see huge scores built on flat pitches like this year's Indian Premier League.
The current edition of the world's richest cricket tournament has seen monumental totals with Sunrisers Hyderabad breaking the IPL record twice with 277 and 287 matches.
Warner's Delhi Capitals were on the receiving end of another run-fest at the weekend when Hyderabad posted 266-7 thanks to fellow Australian Travis Head's 32-ball 89.
But veteran opening batsman Warner said the West Indies pitch would have something for the bowlers when the high-profile global T20 event begins on June 1.
“They could be slower and change direction a little bit,” Warner, 37, told reporters, drawing on his experience in the Caribbean Premier League.
“The turnstiles tend to be a little lower and slower.”
Australian batsman Head and up-and-coming Jake Fraser-McGurk scored at a strike rate of over 216 and outmaneuvered the opposing IPL bowlers.
Warner has not been in his best form so far this season with 167 runs and a strike rate of 135.77, but said that his role as an anchor will be key for West Indies.
“Even when we played there in the 2010 World Cup, the pitch was never high-scoring,” he said.
“When we needed an anchor, a guy like Mike Hussey would come out and score runs for us. He had to come in and turn things around in a way.”
Warner added: “It's going to be completely different there. We're going to add some natural elements. I think it's going to be primarily a day game because of the timing. So that's going to be a big factor.”
Under Warner, who won the IPL in 2016, Hyderabad and its batsmen have redefined T20 scoring with their ability to hit almost every ball out of the park.
Twice this year, the team hit a match-record 22 sixes and smashed an IPL record 125 runs in the first six overs at Delhi's Feroze Shah Kotla Ground.
“The wicket was very good. Very flat, very compact, very high scoring,” Warner said.
“And if the boundaries are small, you'll get very high scores.”
“In the old days, there were turns and you couldn't get scores like that,” he added.
“Also, the lacquer on the ball lasts longer, so it doesn't wear out and is therefore less likely to be sold.”
