Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has defended the docile Rawalpindi wicket used for the first Test, saying that Australia wouldn’t consult the opponent when preparing its own pitches.
Imam — who made his maiden Test century in the first innings, and then his second in the next — spoke after Pakistan Cricket Board chair Ramiz Raja effectively confirmed the pitch was made to nullify Australia’s quicks.
“Obviously when it’s a five-day Test everyone anticipates for a result. But when we go to Australian conditions, they don’t make pitches consulting us but make it according to their will so I think we should see our strength and should live up to our strength,” Imam said, according to ESPNCricinfo.
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The first Test was one of the worst in recent memory, with 1,187 runs scored by Pakistan and Australia across five days for the loss of just 14 wickets.
“I think the Rawalpindi Test was played well as we managed to get all 10 wickets,” Imam said.
“Unfortunately 70 overs were not played out due to bad light and rain but had those overs been bowled the result could have been different because we intended to make them bat again.”
Despite the dour affair, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium’s pitch was spared a rating of ‘poor’ and was instead officially rated as “below average” by the match referee, given only a single demerit point.
“The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days,” match referee Ranjan Madugalle said in his report.
“There has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball.”
Madugalle added: “In keeping with the ICC guidelines I rate this pitch as below average.”
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Under ICC rules, demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period and if a venue accumulates five it is suspended from hosting international cricket for a year.
A pitch is rated ‘poor’ if it “displays little or no seam movement or turn at any stage in the match together with no significant bounce or carry, thereby depriving the bowlers of a fair contest between bat and ball”.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accepted the admonishment and said a “massive project” was already underway to improve the country’s Test pitches.
“This is the first time any Pakistan venue has received a demerit point,” the board said in a statement.
“The PCB remains confident and optimistic that we will not only see good contests in the Karachi and Lahore Tests, but in all future international matches as well.”
The second Test in the three-match Australia series starts in Karachi on Saturday.
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here