Cricket

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.

The Multan pitch has become a major talking point in the ongoing Test series between Pakistan and England, with former cricketers Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen expressing their dismay over the lifeless surface.Pakistan opted to bat first on a wicket that offered little assistance to the bowlers, prompting Vaughan to liken it to a "road" on social media. He pointed out that Pakistan captain Shan Masood looked so comfortable at the crease that he might as well have been wearing "padel shoes."Pietersen echoed Vaughan's sentiments, calling the Multan pitch a "bowler's graveyard." England's bowlers struggled to make an impact on Day 1, with Pakistan piling up a solid score of 328 for 4.Abdullah Shafique anchored the innings with a well-crafted 102, while Masood contributed a brisk 151 off just 177 balls. Gus Atkinson, Jack Leach, and Chris Woakes were the only bowlers able to break through the Pakistani lineup, but they found it difficult to extract movement or bounce from the pitch.Pakistan's decision to bat first on such a surface has been widely criticized, with many experts believing that it has given them a significant advantage in the match. The pitch has drawn further scrutiny because it appears to be offering no assistance to bowlers of any type.The lifeless nature of the Multan pitch has raised concerns about the future of Test cricket in Pakistan. If pitches continue to be prepared in this manner, it could lead to a decline in the popularity of the format.