Cricket

Pakistan's relentless pursuit of a turning track for the final Test against England in Rawalpindi has reached unprecedented levels. With the second Test in Multan concluding in a predictable manner, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has spared no effort in preparing a surface that will favor their spinners.Before the second Test ended, officials were already dispatched to Rawalpindi to oversee the pitch preparation. Post-match, Shan Masood expressed his desire for a turning surface. Giant heaters and windbreakers were strategically placed around the pitch to accelerate the deterioration process.England, on the other hand, has taken note of Pakistan's tactics. Harry Brook believes the Pindi surface has been "raked" to hasten its breakdown. In response, England has named a playing XI with only one specialist seamer, Gus Atkinson, and legspinner Rehan Ahmed.Pakistan's extreme measures stem from the fact that the Pindi pitch naturally favors fast bowlers. Unlike in Multan, where a used surface was available, the PCB is attempting to alter the surface's behavior. Masood and Saud Shakeel have acknowledged that Pindi has historically not been conducive to spin.However, Pakistan's recent success on a crumbling track in Multan has emboldened them to seek a similar advantage in Rawalpindi. Shakeel emphasized the importance of adapting pitch preparation to the opposition and series.Pakistan's shift towards spin-friendly pitches is a departure from their previous strategy of preparing seam-friendly surfaces to develop their young fast bowlers. However, a prolonged winless streak at home has forced a rethink.The PCB now recognizes the need to tailor pitches to specific series and opponents. Shakeel believes that preparing for SENA conditions can be done through practice and first-class cricket, while home pitches should be designed to exploit the opposition's weaknesses.Pakistan has yet to name their XI for the final Test, but the inclusion of three spinners remains a possibility. Legspinner Zahid Mahmood's ineffectiveness in Multan could slightly increase the chances of a specialist seamer being selected.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed its gratitude to the ground staff for their tireless efforts in providing exceptional pitches throughout the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In recognition of their dedication, the groundsmen and curators at the 10 regular IPL venues will receive INR 25 lakhs each, while those at the 3 additional venues will get INR 10 lakhs each.BCCI secretary Jay Shah took to social media to convey his appreciation, stating, "The unsung heroes of our successful T20 season are the incredible ground staff who worked tirelessly to provide brilliant pitches, even in difficult weather conditions."The ground staff's efforts were particularly crucial in the recently concluded final between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium. Despite challenging weather conditions, the pitch remained in excellent condition, allowing for an exciting and competitive match.KKR emerged victorious in the final, securing their third IPL title and their first in 10 years. Mitchell Starc and Andre Russell played pivotal roles with their fiery spells, while Venkatesh Iyer's half-century helped KKR chase down the target of 114 runs in just 10.3 overs.The BCCI's gesture of appreciation highlights the importance of the ground staff in ensuring the success of cricket matches. Their hard work and dedication create a safe and conducive environment for players to perform at their best.

With the 2024 T20 World Cup approaching, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe is meticulously gathering information about the pitches in the USA and Caribbean, particularly in Dallas. The team will also play in New York and Kingstown, where they have limited knowledge of the playing conditions.To prepare for the tournament, Bangladesh has been playing on batting-friendly surfaces in Sylhet during the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka. Hathurusinghe expects the New York venue to have drop-in pitches similar to those in Adelaide, but there is uncertainty about the conditions in Dallas and Kingstown."We are looking at a combination for the World Cup, [especially] how the individuals are fitting in and understanding the game plan and be comfortable with that," Hathurusinghe said. "We wanted to play on good wickets here. We don't know about the wickets in America. We play two important games in America. Nobody has any clue [about the pitches]. There's not much data behind it."Hathurusinghe emphasized the need for bowlers to adapt to the expected batting-friendly pitches. In the ongoing series, Sri Lanka scored over 200 runs in the first T20I, but Bangladesh's bowlers have shown improvement in the second game."We know what we can do. We are continually working on [death bowling]. We are playing on different kinds of pitches now. There's more grass and carry," Hathurusinghe said. "We wanted to play on wickets that are conducive for high scoring, to get us to understand what areas we need to improve in bowling."Bangladesh's batting has also been impressive, with Soumya Sarkar contributing despite his tendency to get out after getting starts. The Sarkar-Litton Das opening pairing has been Bangladesh's 16th in T20Is since the start of 2022."We were 63 [68] for no loss. You don't see how many hundreds you made in T20s. As long as they are playing for the team, that's what we want," Hathurusinghe said. "[Sarkar] is contributing at the moment. He got [Kusal] Mendis' wicket. He was crucial for them in both games. [Litton and Sarkar] put their hands up after the first game, [saying that] their approach was wrong. They owned it, and went and played really good cricket."