India And South Africa India are leading the 5-match series 1-0 in the second T20I at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Great win by 101 runs in Cuttack Where they scored 175/6 and bowled out South Africa for 74 runs. After various IPL results with high scores of over 200 and low-scoring thrillers with an average of 167-170 in the first innings, this is the first men’s international match at the venue.
One might expect a balanced pitch to help the fast bowlers with swing and seam, then the batsmen would settle in once set, with the chase aided by dew – four of the six IPL games here were won by batting first, but the conditions tilt towards the team fielding second.
Mullanpur Weather Forecast
The temperature drops from 15 °C at 7 pm IST to around 9–10 °C by 11 pm, clear sky, no rain (0% chance), northwesterly winds 7–10 km/h and humidity increases from 42% to 58%. Very unhealthy air quality from hazy fog and mist can hinder visibility for fielders, especially under moonlight, here reactions can be tested in cold conditions similar to winter IPL night games. These factors support complete matches but challenge the bowlers’ hold late on, prompting captains to bowl first.
dew factor
The presence of dew increases significantly after sunset amid cold temperatures and rising humidity, causing the ball to skid rapidly on the outfield and making it difficult for spinners and fast bowlers to control it in the second innings. This gives the batsmen an advantage in chasing, as catchless bowlers give away boundaries easily – this is evident in Mullanpur’s IPL night matches, where runs are leaked in the death overs. Fielders face lapses in catching and stopping, increasing the pressure on the other bowling team, as is the case during Punjab’s dew-hindered chases at similar venues.
toss prediction
Teams winning the toss will prefer to bowl first for these reasons:
- Dew accumulates in heavy quantities after sunset, making the ball slippery, disrupting the rhythm and accuracy of second innings bowling.
- The increased humidity (42–58%) aids skidding on the pitch, allowing fluent chasing rather than setting targets.
- Historical IPL trends in Mullanpur show that despite winning 4/6 in the first innings, the chase was successful due to dew.
- Cold temperatures falling to 9-10°C further reduce grip, testing spinners who dominate initially but struggle later.
- Fast outfield and medium boundaries reward aggressive batting under lights, adjustments after dew
Also read: IND vs SA, 2nd T20I, Match Prediction: Who will win between India and South Africa?
