PCB eyeing another vicious move in Rawalpindi for Pakistan vs England 3rd Test

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to unleash the same strategy for the pitch preparation for the third Test between Pakistan and England at Rawalpindi. It means the board is looking to prepare another spin-friendly surface for the final Test of the series.

The decision was an expected one given England's struggles against spin in the second Test at Multan. All of England's 20 wickets were picked up by the spinners, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan. While it was Sajid who took a seven-wicket haul in the first innings, Noman picked up 8 wickets in the second innings.

With just one match to go in the series, Pakistan will be desperate to end their run of continuous losses.

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PCB to prepare spin-friendly surface at Rawalpindi

The newly formed selection panel of the PCB, which also includes former fast bowler Aaqib Javed, will go to the Pindi Cricket Stadium to have a look at the wicket and meet the pitch curator Tony Hemming.

According to the reports, the pitch will be prepared to assist Pakistan's frontline spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, both of whom wreaked havoc in the last Test match at Multan, where the pitch offered enough assistance to the spinners.

The pitch for the second Test was the same one that was used for the first Test. The decision was taken in order to make the pitch favorable for the bowlers and it paid dividends for the home team.

Changed bowling attack for Pakistan by the PCB selection panel

Pakistan changed its bowling combination for the second Test after going with three seamers and one spinner for the first Test match. The Men in Green made a big decision to drop Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the second Test, along with the star batter Babar Azam.

Pakistan went with three spinners and one fast bowler in the form of Aamer Jamal for the second Test. The three spinners were Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood. The move turned out to be a masterstroke as Pakistan stumped England to level the series 1-1.

England and Pakistan will collide in Rawalpindi from October 24. The selection panel of the PCB believes that spin is the way to beat England in these conditions, as was evident in the second Test as well.

Rawalpindi a pace-friendly surface

But it won't be an easy job for the PCB to turn the Rawalpindi pitch into a spin-friendly surface. Historically, Rawalpindi has been favorable to fast bowlers but the PCB is determined to turn it into a spin-friendly surface for this game.

The first Test of the series was won by England by a massive margin of an innings and 47 runs. Multan served a flat surface in that match was a flat one as England piled up a score of 823-7 in reply to Pakistan's first-innings score of 556. Pakistan were bowled out for 220 in the second innings and thus lost its third consecutive Test match at home.

However, Pakistan came back strongly in the second Test through their spinners and debutant Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a century in his maiden Test outing. Ghulam scored a magnificent 118 off 224 balls in the first innings of the match.