India won the Group A game by eight wickets after bowling Ireland out for just 96.
Malan didn’t blame the uneven bounce at Nassau County Cricket ground in New York but was clearly unimpressed. “You need a good surface for a game, and unfortunately, the last couple of games didn’t meet that standard. Hopefully, it flattens out and we see some good cricket by Friday,” he said.
This was the second consecutive low-scoring game at the new venue. On Monday, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 77, with South Africa winning with 22 balls to spare.
“We want to see good cricket. It doesn’t have to be high-scoring, just an equal contest. Today, that was debatable,” said Malan.
Andy Flower, former Zimbabwe player and ex-England team director, told Cricinfo that the surface was not suitable for international matches. “It’s bordering on dangerous. The ball was bouncing erratically, making life difficult for any batsman,” he said.
Flower praised India’s bowlers for exploiting the conditions but acknowledged it was tough on Ireland. “The Indian quicks kept their game plan simple and hit the deck hard on a good length. It was tricky batting conditions for any side, especially Ireland against India.”
India batting coach Vikram Rathour said it was a “challenging wicket” but felt his team adapted well. “We played a practice game here and knew what to expect. We have the skills and experience to deal with it,” he said.
Ireland will face Canada at the Long Island ground on Friday, while India takes on rivals Pakistan at the venue on Sunday in the marquee contest of the group stage.