"That wicket in Multan - bowlers GRAVEYARD!" - Kevin Pietersen appalled by pitch used for 1st PAK vs ENG 2024 TestÂ
Former cricketer Kevin Pietersen labelled the pitch used for the series opener between England and Pakistan in Multan as a graveyard for bowlers. The surface has been a paradise for the batters, with the hosts scoring 233 runs in the first couple of session after losing only one wicket.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood had no hesitation in opting to bat first after winning the toss. Opener Saim Ayub missed out on the opportunity to score big on the lifeless surface by getting stranded down the leg-side. However, Abdullah Shafique and Masood made the bowlers toil in the heat while piling on the runs with ease.
Masood raced off to his hundred off just 103 deliveries, while Shafique has also shifted gears effortlessly. The utter ease with which the Pakistan batters scored, led to Kevin Pietersen's reaction on social media.
"That wicket in Multan - bowlers GRAVEYARD!" Pietersen tweeted.
Pietersen's reaction mirrors the one the fans hold. England stand-in captain Ollie Pope has tried out all bowling combinations for a breakthrough, but to no avail. The pacers have been leaking over four runs an over, while their chief spinner Shoiab Bashir has an economy rate of 5.40. Joe Root was brought into the attack towards the end of the second session, bowling three overs before tea.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali had claimed recently that Pakistan stars has requested flat pitches for the England series, an idea which was apparently instantly shunned by red-ball coach Jason Gillespie.
The previous England vs Pakistan series also witnessed flat, lifeless tracks
The last time England toured Pakistan in 2022, the flat pitches were a recurring theme, particular in the first Test in Rawalpindi. The Ben Stokes-led side, riding the Bazball wave, had piled on 506 runs on the opening day. The pitch received a demerit point after the match referee's report, but was later rescinded after a successful appeal.
The tracks were relatively better for the second and the third Test, but England still managed to complete a 3-0 whitewash in the series.