DUBAI: The last two group matches of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium were vital for more than one reason. The future of six teams in the World Cup depended on the results. However, for the fans watching from the stadium or their homes, the two matches will be remembered for the amount of dropped catches they witnessed. Pakistan and England, both of which eventually could not make it to the semifinals, were the main culprits, dropping as many as six catches each. The Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the other venue of the tournament, has also witnessed many dropped catches, but it has not been as bad as the Dubai Stadium.
Biju George, former India fielding coach, knows a thing or two not just about catching or fielding, but also about the venue. "When you are in Dubai, under those lights for a fraction of a second, the ball is lost to you," George told The New Indian Express. "I have worked at that ground during the IPL season after the Covid-19 pandemic with Sunrisers Hyderabad and during the Dubai International League T20 (ILT20), it was very tough," he said.
"Catching, especially, in Dubai has always been tricky. You need to take a lot of catches in practice. If you see the ball, eventually, it's going to come down, but you need to be ready. Taking many catches is the only way to be prepared," he added.
George explained with an example of how New Zealand captain Sophie Devine managed to take a few catches at the venue against India. "One of the best fielders in the world is Devine and when she took a catch against India at Dubai International Stadium she was surprised. She must have thought that she must have lost it. The basic thing is to keep your eyes on the ball for as long as possible and hold them to dear life. Nothing else," George simplified it.
From the coaching point of view, George has only one solution for venues like these. Whenever you get the light tower at the practice facilities, practice facing the light. "One of the ways you can practice for the catches is at the venues where you have light towers. You can take a lot of catches coming from the tower light. When it is lost in the light for a second but again, you are going to need a lot of practice. When you are fielding at Sharjah, it seems like the ball is coming through a bit quickly. It's all about doing the right thing. From the coaching point of view, they need to take a lot of catches from all angles and at different velocities, involving different trajectories. You have to do everything in practice that you would in a match. Probably because you tend to relax a bit early when it is an easy opportunity, but unless it's taken, it's not a catch," he said.
While the UAE has been hot even in the evening, George believes it cannot be the reason for teams to justify the bad fielding efforts. "The heat has been the same for all teams, isn't it? The players need to be fit to not let that affect them. Teams cannot hope and pray that suddenly players will become fit for the tournament. Fitness standards need to be there along with protocols and they need to be adhered to very tightly," he added.
With the final of the tournament to be held at the venue, it will be interesting to see if the remaining teams take a leaf out of George's book to succeed in the competition.