India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has refused to blame the groundsmen for the poor outfield of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The scenic venue has been hosting ODI World Cup games for the first time but has made it to the news for all the wrong reasons.

The outfield has become a major talking point as several players have expressed their concerns over the same. Earlier this year, the Test between India and Australia had to be shifted from Dharamsala to Indore due to the same reason. And although the venue hosted IPL games after that, the outfield is still garnering attention for all the wrong reasons.

Earlier in the competition, England captain Jos Buttler had not minced his words while criticizing the outfield.  Calling the outfield poor, he had said that it was not ideal for an international match. Team India locked horns against New Zealand at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.

During the game, India captain Rohit Sharma had to leave the field for a while after hurting himself while trying to stop a ball. Later in the game, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah decided against diving to stop the ball from crossing the boundary rope.

Mohammed Shami on Dharamsala outfield:

After the game, Mohammed Shami was asked about the outfield. In reply, the India fast-bowler downplayed criticism of the outfield and also defended the groundsmen in a heartwarming act. He stated that the conditions were the same for both the teams and opined that it would be unfair to point fingers at the groundsmen.

“You have seen how the outfield has been. There is no complaint, because it was the same for both the teams. We cannot say anything to the groundsman because he is helpless, it’s his job, he tries very hard. I don’t think it is good to put a question mark on someone,” said Mohammed Shami.

“The situation and the condition is the same for both the teams. In India and abroad, there are up and downs. Sometimes, we play on wet grounds. Sometimes we play on dry grounds. No complaints. All the say is, the better it [outfield] is, the better for the players,” he added.

Talking about the game, India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets to extend their winning run in the World Cup. Riding on Mohammed Shami’s 5-wicket haul, India bowled out New Zealand for 273 before chasing down the total in 48 overs.

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