'It harmed our cricket': Former Pakistan captain slams PCB over pitch fiasco against Australia
Pakistan Cricket Board has been criticised for poor pitch in 1st Test against Australia.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been facing criticism from all corners for the quality of pitch offered in the recently-concluded first Test between the hosts and Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The flat track at the stadium sparked a run-fest as the two teams managed to pick up only 14 wickets through the course of five days.
Several former cricketers including the likes of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt among others criticised the PCB for the kind of pitch that was offered. The International Cricket Council (ICC) also branded the Rawalpindi track as 'below-average'.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has also slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board over the pitch fiasco in the Rawalpindi Test and has said the board is not doing a great job in marketing the series. Australia are touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years and are the first major side to tour the country in recent times.
Latif believes PCB should be marketing the series in a better way to attract a global audience and other major teams to Pakistan. However, the former Pakistan skipper believes the pitch fiasco has harmed Pakistan cricket.
“This series is different. This is not a series that we're playing for winning. This is a series we are playing to market ourselves. Even if it goes 3-0, I would want that a Rs 100 product is marketed as Rs 150 product. But in the Rawalpindi Test, we sold a Rs 100 product for Rs 5, and it harmed our cricket,” Latif said in a video on his YouTube channel.
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“Australia sent their no.1 team after 24 years, they're coming straight after beating England 4-0. Their batters are in their top-10 in the rankings, so are their bowlers. We would've wanted to play good cricket, winning or losing is a different thing. We would've wanted to attract people around the world,” he added.
After a disappointing first Test which ended in a draw, Pakistan and Australia will lock horns in the second Test of the three-match series at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Aussies will hope for a better pitch in Karachi to continue their domination against the Men in Green in the longest format.