"They've made an effort to try and nullify the pace bowling" - Pat Cummins on the Rawalpindi pitch
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins believes the lifeless pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium was designed to nullify the team's pace attack. The visitors could only manage to take four wickets in 239 overs across both innings, with one of them being a run-out to dismiss Babar Azam.
Opting to bat first on the flattest of surfaces, Pakistan only lost two wickets on Day 1 and piled on 476-4 in the first innings. Pat Cummins accounted for the sole wicket taken by a pacer for Australia. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Marnus Labuschagne took the remaining wickets.
Pakistan will be the happier of the two sides after Australia bowled 77 wicketless overs on day five #PAKvAUS
Speaking after the culmination of the first Test, which ended in a draw, Cummins said:
"Turning up to a pitch that's probably not a traditional pitch you would get here in Rawalpindi, and it's probably clear they've made an effort to try and nullify the pace bowling."
Opining that a draw in subcontinent conditions is a positive result, Cummins added:
"I think that's a positive. And, sub-continent conditions, coming away with a draw it's not a bad result. I think all the quick bowlers, although we've spent the best part of three days out in the field, I think we've all bowled around about 25, maximum 30 overs each, which in comparison to a lot of Australian Test matches is actually a pretty light workload."
The Pindi Cricket Stadium could face three demerit points if match referee Ranjan Madugalle assesses the pitch as poor in his match report. If the venue collects five demerit points over a span of five years, it will face a ban from hosting international matches for a period of twelve months.
"I thought the Pakistani batters batted really well the whole game" - Pat Cummins
After posting a mammoth first-innings total, Pakistan made use of the conditions on offer to bat deep in the second innings as well. The hosts scored 252-0 across Day 4 and 5 before the contest was ruled out as a draw.
Imam-ul-Haq made a prolific return to the side with centuries in both innings and was adjudged the Player of the Match. Cummins added:
"I thought the Pakistani batters batted really well the whole game. They got themselves in and then once they got themselves in, they were able to just tick over the score. We'll spend the next couple days reviewing it having a look at maybe different plans ahead of Karachi, expecting probably different conditions as well."
Player of the Match is Imam-ul-Haq for his centuries in both innings #PAKvAUS https://t.co/wzy1jZT3c5
Cummins also reserved praise for the crowd at Rawalpindi, who made their presence felt in Australia's first Test in Pakistan in 24 years. He concluded:
"They were fantastic, the crowd. Really passionate crowd for obviously Pakistan but really respectful and great for our players as well. I loved that. Every time we walked onto the field, they're chanting and trying to get waves from our players, which is awesome."
The second Test between the two sides will begin on March 12 at the National Stadium in Karachi. The three-match Test series is currently level at 0-0.