Pakistan Cricket Board Holds The Plan For Drop In Pitches
Published - 25 Mar 2022, 01:49 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:06 AM
The Pakistan Cricket Board’s intention to bring Australian drop-in pitches has been postponed. The board is now set to employ a consultant who will advise them on whether the Australian-made pitches are practicable in Pakistan.
As part of an experiment, PCB is likely to import soil from Australia and seed it in numerous locations.
The original goal was to have two readymade pitches as a temporary solution to aid Pakistan’s preparations for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, which will be contested in Australia in October and November. It was also part of a larger effort to improve the quality of pitches around the country, which was an important plank of Ramiz Raja’s chairmanship.
The firm that was approved to acquire the drop-in pitches has been instructed to put the purchase on hold, which would have been a lengthy procedure in any case, taking up to ten months.
The PCB has struck an agreement with the Arif Habib Group, an investment firm, to cover the procurement costs of PKR 37 crore (about USD 2 million). That money will almost certainly be spent on pitch development.
Ramiz has been vocal about several issues that he views as afflicting Pakistan cricket since taking over as chairman of the PCB. Pitches have taken precedence in his life. “We’re not going anywhere until pitches are fixed because it’s the lifeblood of cricket,” he told in December last year.
Our goal is to increase the quality of pitches says, Pakistan Cricket Board Spokesperson:
A PCB official said, “It is Ramiz’s vision and purpose to increase the performance of the grounds at all international and domestic cricket facilities.”
In this context, we’ve recruited an Australian drop-in pitch specialist as an advisor, who might tour Pakistan in April and visit several possible locations for a thorough analysis and evaluation before making a recommendation.
“Because we don’t have experts on drop-in pitches, we need to make sure everything is feasible.” Weather conditions, venue utilization, soil needs, and the general design and aspect of the venue are all important factors in the success of this endeavor.”
During Pakistan’s ongoing Test series against Australia, pitches have been in the focus due to their flat, docile nature. The pitch in Rawalpindi, in particular, was heavily criticized after only 14 wickets fell in a drawn first Test over five days, and it was eventually given a “below average” rating by the ICC.
