The first Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a dull draw in Rawalpindi. Pakistan scored 476/4 and 252/0 in the match, while Australia accumulated 459 in their only innings. The lifeless pitch came under the scanner, with only 14 wickets falling in the match.
Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Hafeez have lambasted the PCB for preparing a dead track and urged the apex body to come up with sporting pitches in the remaining two Tests. Former skipper Salman Butt has now opined on the matter.
“Against South Africa, Hasan Ali performed brilliantly (five-wicket hauls in both innings) in Rawalpindi. So I don’t understand who is passing what information. Anyone who opens the stat will find out the truth,” said Butt on his official YouTube channel. “Pindi is a result-oriented pitch. In first-class matches, the games end here in 2.5 days.”
He wants the people in power to be braver. “Please tell me what’s wrong with Pakistan pitches. Pitches aren’t bad; it’s the brains that are rotten. The people in power are not brave. Imam has been in the team since 2019. It’s 2022 now. You don’t have confidence in his abilities,” said Butt.
“Apart from him, Abdullah Shafique was selected after his performance in Bangladesh and the PSL. This game was treated as a practice game.”
Butt insisted that the pitches need to be more sporting in the remaining two games.