Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for preparing a dead track for the ongoing Test series opener against England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
He cheekily suggested that the board should let the fans know in advance if they want to use pitches on which teams can score over 500 runs in a single day.
Akhtar opined that the hosts failed to create a track that could have given them an advantage over the opposition. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said:
“I urge the fans to write a letter to the PCB, requesting that they inform us in advance if you are planning for 500 runs to be scored in a single day. They had so much time to prepare the wickets.
“This is not how you play Test cricket. You create a dead track where there is no bounce or seam. PCB could have created a spin-friendly wicket or a bouncy track. But they failed to do either of those things.”
Four England batters crossed the three-figure mark on Day 1 of the Test, helping their side finish at 506/5. The Ben Stokes-led side now hold the record for scoring the most number of runs on the opening day of a Test match.
“England will make sure that they get about 700 runs” – Shoaib Akhtar predicts Pakistan will suffer embarrassing loss in 1st Test
Akhtar went on to say that the Test is unlikely to end in a draw. He mentioned that England are likely to win the contest on the third day itself.
The 47-year-old predicted that the visitors would score around 700 runs and then bundle out Pakistan twice to secure a comprehensive victory. He added:
“You are hoping that there will be a draw, but that is not going to happen. England will make sure that they get about 700 runs. They will bowl out Pakistan twice and wrap up this match within two and a half days.”
A number of fans have expressed displeasure with the quality of the pitches used in Pakistan in their recent red-ball fixtures.
Babar Azam and Co. have a herculean task on their hands, given that they will have to bat out of their skins to power their way back into the game.
Also Read: “These are T20 bowlers” – Shoaib Akhtar on Pakistan’s fast bowling unit for 1st test vs England
