Ramiz Raja Questions Multan Pitch After England's Record-Breaking Innings

Former Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja has expressed his disappointment over the pitch prepared for the first Test match against England in Multan, which has resulted in a high-scoring affair with over 1,500 runs scored and only 23 wickets falling across four days.

Raja, who is now a commentator, questioned why the pitch was not designed to assist Pakistan's bowling attack, especially considering the team's struggles in recent times. He pointed out that the bowlers have toiled hard but have not been rewarded with wickets.

"I'm sure bowlers will be questioning the quality of this track because they bend their back and nothing has happened," Raja said. "You start questioning why such a surface was provided and why are we playing on such a surface at home."

England took full advantage of the flat pitch, posting a record-breaking first innings total of 823/7 declared. Harry Brook smashed a triple century, while Joe Root scored a double century. The duo helped England overtake Pakistan's first innings total of 556.

Raja's criticism echoes the concerns raised by former Pakistan seamer Wasim Akram, who has previously denounced Raja's influence over the types of Test match pitches prepared in Pakistan.

The second Test between Pakistan and England will also be played in Multan, before the final Test shifts to Rawalpindi. Given the high-scoring nature of the first Test, the groundstaff may undertake significant work during the gap days to ensure a more balanced contest in the remaining matches.

Tags: #PakistanCricket, #EnglandCricket, #TestCricket, #RamizRaja, #MultanPitch