Rawalpindi pitch receives 'below average' rating for first Test between Pakistan and England

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has been handed one demerit point after the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday rated the pitch for the first Test between Pakistan and England as “below average”.

England won the Test by 74 runs after posting 657 all out in the first innings and 264-7 declared in the second. Pakistan made 579 in the first innings before they were bundled out for 268 in the second.

“It was a very flat pitch which gave almost no assistance to any type of bowler. That was the main reason why batters scored very fast and both sides posted huge totals,” said Andy Pycroft of the governing body’s elite panel of match referees.

“The pitch hardly deteriorated during the course of the match. Since there was very little in it for the bowlers, I found the pitch to be ‘below average’ as per the ICC guidelines.”

JUST IN - The verdict is in on the Rawalpindi pitch used during the first Test between Pakistan and England 👀#PAKvENG | #WTC23https://t.co/PQO7PS2cTj

— ICC (@ICC) December 13, 2022

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ramiz Raja had described the pitch as “embarrassing”, saying it was “not a good advert for cricket”.

It was the venue’s second demerit point after the pitch used for the first Test between Pakistan and Australia in March was also rated as “below average”. That match ended in a draw.

Venues can be suspended for a year if they pick up five demerit points and for two years if they pick up 10. Demerit points remain active for a rolling five years.