LAHORE: Former captain Intikhab Alam has criticised the pitch being used in the ongoing first Test bet­ween Pakistan and Australia at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

According to Intikhab, Pakistan have failed to capitalise on home conditions by preparing a placid playing surface as the Australians visit the country after 24 years.

The former coach, while speaking to Dawn, urged sporting wickets must be prepared for the remaining two Tests to be played in Karachi in Lahore.

“Everywhere in the world, the cricket boards take advantage of home conditions but we failed even to take this one, because after scoring a high total Pakistan also conceded a big total,” said Intikhab.

“While we scored with the run-rate of around 2.5 per over, the Australian achie­ved a far better run-rate of around four runs per over, so where is our home advantage?”

Intikhab said that in the past, on many occasions, he has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take the challenging task of ensuring similar type of sporting pitches in all the countries to end home advantage for the hosts.

“The ICC’s curators should work with the local curators to ensure sporting pitches,” he said.

“Yes, the weather conditions are different in every cricket playing country but at least the same kind of pitches, which help the seamers on the first two days and the spinners from the third day should be made to make Test cricket entertaining to the crowds.

“You can’t be a number one in the world by preparing such type of pitches and you can’t produce world-class players.

The former Pakistan manager said he was grateful to the Australian team for visiting Pakistan for the first time after 1998. He believed the tour will improve relations between the Pakistan Cricket Board and Cricket Australia and also between players of both sides.

Intikhab also expressed his sorrow over the sad demise of two great Austra­lian cricketers Rodney Marsh and Shane Warne who passed away on the same day last week.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2022