Pakistan great Wasim Akram has taken an indirect dig at PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, saying that, during his playing career, the board’s chairman was never involved in deciding what kind of wickets would be prepared for home Tests.
Akram’s comments come in the wake of widespread criticism surrounding the nature of pitches in Rawalpindi and Karachi, venues for the first two Tests of the ongoing Pakistan-Australia Test series. The first Test ended in a tame draw, with Australia piling on the runs in the Karachi Test too, scoring a mammoth 556-9 declared in the first innings.
The pitch for the Rawalpindi Test was rated ‘below average’ by match referee Ranjan Madugalle, and the venue received a demerit point. Raja explained how the lack of pace in the pitch was a strategy employed by Pakistan, but Akram felt the pitch was a bad one regardless.
“I suppose, in our time, it only depended on the captain what sort of wicket he wants,” Akram said while speaking to reporters on March 13. “I don’t remember any chairman telling us or asking us that the wicket needs to be a certain way.”
“These two Tests that I tried to watch, but I couldn’t. As an ex-cricketer, ex-fast bowler, the first two balls were enough to indicate that it will be a draw. The pressure is on Pakistan, that too with 500 [on the board], and they haven’t declared.”
“When West Indies used to tour us, when Imran bhai [Khan] was the captain, we have prepared slow wickets. There’s a way to prepare slow wickets: from a technical point of view, you roll the centre of the pitch less, and the area around the front foot is left dry. If you’re making it slow, at least prepare a turner, so that it is result-oriented.
“I hope they learn from it, whoever is preparing these pitches. It is quite boring, to be honest.”
Akram’s comments came the same day his former teammate Inzamam-ul-Haq, on his YouTube channel, requested Ramiz Raja to focus on groundsmen and curators to prepare the right pitches.
“My request to Ramiz bhai.. you are bringing in drop-in pitches and working on so much more, please focus on the groundsmen and curators as well.”
