PAK vs ENG: Shoaib Akhtar Slams PCB After England Score Over 500 Runs On Day 1 Of First Test

Records tumbled on the opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi. The visitors scored a mammoth 506/4 in 75 overs with four batsmen scoring in three figures. The Pakistan bowlers were made to wk hard for their wickets. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar slammed the PCB for not preparing a competitive wicket. 

Zak Crawley (122), Ben Duckett (107), Ollie Pope (108), and Harry Brook (101) scored centuries on the first day. Brook was finally dismissed for 153 in the first session of day 2. The pitch had no seam or swing movement after the first hour. Zahir Mahmood the spinner picked up two wickets on Day 1. Hais Rauf and Mohammad Ali picked one each.

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There was a huge build-up for the series as it was England’s first visit to Pakistan since 2005. The England batters made the most of the conditions and took it to the Pakistan bowlers. Shoaib Akhtar came down hard on the PCB for not giving attention to the pitch preparation ahead of the start of the series. 

“I request my countrymen to write a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board and request them, Agar ek din mein 500 karane the, to pehle bata dete (If they had already thought of giving away 500 runs on day 1, they would’ve told us earlier).

“You [PCB] had so much time. This isn’t the way of playing Test cricket. The track is so dead – no bounce or seam on offer. The management could’ve prepared the wicket as per their choice. It could’ve been a spin-friendly track or could’ve kept the surface hard to get enough bounce. You did nothing,” Shoaib said on his YouTube channel after the end of the first day’s play.

He further said that England are likely to post a score above 700 and make the Pakistan bowlers toil hard on a dead wicket. He further said that the cushion of runs will mean that the visitors will not need to bat the second time. 

England Will Put At Least 700 Runs: Shoaib Akhtar

“Pakistan didn’t play up to their strength. England will make you toil hard again, put at least 700 runs on the board, make you bat twice, and will look to end this game in two-and-a-half days. So, there’s a lot to think about where Pakistan is standing in Test cricket,” he added.

England won the seven-match T20I series 4-3 before the T20 World Cup leading up to the Test series.

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