• In his observations on the surface of Rawalpindi, Andy Pycroft rates it as “below average.”
• Getting such a rating for Rawalpindi surface is nothing new
• Additionally, during the Australia series, it was rated as “below average.”

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is in danger of losing its privilege to hold international games after receiving another demerit point from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday for the “below average” grade given to the surface constructed for the first Test between Pakistan and England.

According to Andy Pycroft of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, the Rawalpindi surface received a “below average” rating.

“The surface was extremely flat and provided almost no help to any kind of bowler. According to Pycroft, that was the key reason why batters scored rapidly and both teams registered high totals. He stated that throughout the Test match, the pitch “barely worsened.”

According to the ICC rules, I deemed the surface to be ‘below average’ because there wasn’t much to it for the bowlers,’ he said.

The Rawalpindi surface has now been given this grade twice; the first time was during the first Test match between Pakistan and Australia, when it was rated as “below ordinary.” It had one demerit point that had accumulated.

The demerit points are still in effect after rolling them over for five years. A venue is barred from hosting international cricket matches for a year if it accrues five demerit points (or goes above that limit).

The location is barred from staging international cricket matches for 24 months if it accumulates 10 demerit points.

Pitch ideas from the “dark ages” in Pakistan: Ramiz Raja

Ramiz Raja, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stated that the country’s pitches belonged in the “dark ages” after receiving criticism on the surface last month.

Former national captain Raja, who is also the chairman of the PCB, expressed his “unhappiness at all” with the condition of the field, which he acknowledged was “not a fantastic advertisement” for Test cricket.

He told reporters, “It’s embarrassing for us, especially if you have a cricketer as chairman. We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan.”

England’s heroic triumph over Pakistan is a memorable one.
In the first Test, England defeated Pakistan by an incredible 74 runs, taking the decisive wicket in the quickly dwindling light to take a 1-0 series lead.

On a placid Rawalpindi track, the visitors set Pakistan an implausible victory goal of 343 after scoring 657 in their first innings and declaring on 264-7.

In a thrilling final session, Pakistan fought valiantly and reached 268 before being ousted; Saud Shakeel led the hosts with 76 points.

Azhar Ali scored 40 while playing with a broken finger, and Mohammad Rizwan produced 46, but their efforts were in vain.

Mohammad Ali and Naseem Shah, Pakistan’s final pair, held out for over nine overs before the former was bowled by Jack Leach just ten minutes before the game’s scheduled conclusion.

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