Naseem Shah Criticizes PCB for Poor Pitch Quality in Rawalpindi Test

Pakistan ended Day 4 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi with an uphill battle ahead, trailing by a significant 94 runs after the visitors amassed a formidable total of 565 runs in their first innings. Despite Shan Masood deciding to declare Pakistan's innings at 448/6, Bangladesh took full advantage of favorable batting conditions, with Mushfiqur Rahim's exceptional 191 leading the charge, backed up by strong performances from Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Litton Das, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, all of whom scored half-centuries.

The pitch, which increasingly favoured the batters as the game progressed, has once again come under scrutiny, sparking renewed debate over the quality of Test surfaces in Pakistan. The condition of pitches in the country has been a contentious issue, particularly following the criticism faced during Pakistan's home series against Australia and England in 2022.

Critics argued that the pitches were overly favourable to batters, leading to unbalanced contests that did not play to Pakistan's strengths.

Hopes were high that the new administration would address these concerns by improving the quality of pitches for home Tests. However, the ongoing Test against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi appears to have exposed similar issues, with the surface continuing to heavily favour the batters.

The imbalance has not only affected the competitiveness of the match but has also led to growing frustration among Pakistan’s bowlers, who have struggled to make a significant impact.

This frustration was evident on Saturday when Naseem Shah, one of Pakistan's premier fast bowlers, openly expressed his displeasure during a press interaction. As questions mounted about the bowlers’ inability to trouble the Bangladesh batters, Naseem did not shy away from highlighting the challenges posed by the pitch, seemingly reflecting a broader dissatisfaction within the team over the playing conditions.

Naseem on pitches

The Pakistan fast bowler didn't mince his words as he spoke in detail about the pitch conditions in Rawalpindi, insisting that the surfaces need to be result-oriented.

“You have to say it out honestly. I believe we have had enough series where we had such pitches,” Naseem said in the post-match press conference.

"They did their best to prepare a pitch that was helpful, but I think because of the heat, or excessive sunshine, the surface wasn't quite helpful. We have to think on how we can get the home advantage, because you have to get a match result at any cost.

“We didn't get the help we expected from the pitch. But everyone tried their best.”

When asked how Pakistan can potentially take the home advantage, Naseem said that efforts can be made to assist spinners if green pitches are difficult to maintain.

“It's not my expertise but we have to use home advantage. If we can't make green pitches that can help fast bowler, give us pitches which help spinners. Test cricket has progressed a lot now. The fans are also attending matches in this heat. You feel the need to entertain them. You shouldn't feel you are facing challenges while playing the game yourself,” said Naseem further.

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