Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi. Image-Twitter

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has continued to criticise the surface at Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium. The first Test match between Pakistan and England is underway with England in a strong position. While there was a lot of hype for the game because it was the Three Lions’ first red-ball series on Pakistani soil in 17 years, the playing surface has proven to be a significant letdown. 

The pitch has proven to be a batter’s paradise, with no help for bowlers, as both spinners and pacers have received no assistance from the pitch. England scored a massive 657 in the first innings, but Pakistan responded with a score of 499/7 at the stumps with centuries from Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique and Imam ul Haq.

Babar Azam
Babar Azam (Getty Images)

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I Don’t Think England Can Bowl Pakistan Out Twice: Shahid Afridi

The Babar-led team had an excellent chance of reaching the World Test Championship finals, but Shahid Afridi asserted that no one appreciates pitches like it while pointing out that tailender Naseem Shah can also get 70–80 runs on this track. 

“You don’t enjoy such matches. Ek stage pe toh mera dil nahi chaa raha tha match dekhne ka. Bohot hi boring ho gaya tha, bowlers ke liye kuch hai hi nahi. Batsmen bhi agar maar diye toh maar diye. Maza nahi aaya. Allah kare ki result aaye, inki bowling lineup bhi aisi hai ki shayad Pakistan ko do baar out naa kar paayein.

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Pakistan vs England (Getty Images)
Pakistan vs England (Getty Images)

“(At one stage, I didn’t feel like watching the game. It became boring, there’s nothing for the bowlers. Hope there’s a result, because I don’t think England can bowl Pakistan out twice),” said Shahid Afridi on Samaa TV. 

“Hamko agar final me jaana hai, badi badi teams ko haraana hai, toh hamein bowlers ko confidence dena padega. Ham shell pe chale jaate hain ki kahi batsman naa out ho jaayein. Come on, thoda positive sochna padega. Hamaari batting achhi hai, achhi seaming pitches khilao. Inn pitches pe Naseem Shah bhi 70-80 run kar dega.

“(If we have to play in the WTC final, beat big teams, we have to give bowlers confidence. We just can’t live in fear that our batsmen will get out early. We have to get our batsmen to play on seaming pitches. On such pitches (like Rawalpindi), even Naseem Shah can score 70-80 runs),” Shahid Afridi added.  

Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah (Image Credits: Twitter)

Before being caught by Will Jacks in Pakistan’s opening innings, Naseem only scored 15 runs. Shahid Afridi had previously criticised Ramiz Raja, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for his remarks that the country was a long way from producing a quality 5-day pitch. 

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