New York: It was a full day at work with the entire Indian team turning up for nets in preparation of the big clash with Pakistan on Sunday. This being America, the practice sessions are being held in a park which houses the ice hockey rink in a lush green environment. But that has not dented any practice session for teams like South Africa and India which came into three to four-hour sessions.New York was inexplicably sunny but windy today it as Mew Yorker talked of a heat wave, Virat Kohli opened the batting practice to initial throw downs even as Rishabh Pant faced the team’s frontline bowlers in Arshdeep, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. Shivam Dube also turned his arm, bowling to Surya Kumar Yadav who will be required to take the gauntlet on Sunday against Pakistan. Skipper Rohit Sharma joined in next after Kohli. For a moment there was concern all around when a support staff’s throw-down ball rapped Sharma’s left knuckles but there seemed to be no lasting injury.
The net play was on the cour drop-down pitches that have been making play so difficult. Kohli bantered with South African players for some time before taking guard at nets, practising his array of shots to lusty shots.
The Pakistan team, which flew in from Dallas today had optional practice at the same venue later in the day. Only a few of the team support staff members were seen in the outfield practice area in the afternoon.
South Africa, which plays a match against the Netherlands today preceded India at practice.
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