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Former Pakistan pacer Abdul Rauf has openly criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), expressing his disappointment with the quality of pitches and the national team’s underwhelming performances. His concerns echo the sentiments of many cricket fans and experts, especially in the wake of Pakistan’s crushing defeat against England in Multan.
Multan’s Pitch Under Fire
The pitch in Multan has been a major point of contention since the first ball of the Test match. Critics and former players have been vocal about the PCB’s decision to prepare a flat, lifeless track that did little to assist the bowlers.
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While such surfaces can sometimes lead to high-scoring games, they often tilt the balance too far in favor of the batters, depriving the match of its competitive edge.
Pakistan managed to post an impressive 556 runs in their first innings, but England came back with an even bigger total—823/7 (declared).
The pitch’s batting-friendly nature was evident. But the real disappointment came in Pakistan’s second innings when the home side crumbled for just 220 runs, suffering a heavy defeat by an innings and 47 runs.
Abdul Rauf’s Frustration
Abdul Rauf, like many others, was furious. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he didn’t mince words as he questioned the PCB’s decisions regarding the pitch and the team’s strategy. His primary frustration revolved around why Pakistan had hired an Australian head coach and a foreign pitch curator if the results were going to remain the same.
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“If you’re going to continue playing such poor cricket out of fear and a fear of losing, then why did you hire Gillespie as the coach and bring him from Australia?” Rauf questioned. “And if you’re going to prepare such third-class pitches, then why are you wasting millions on Tony Hemming? Pakistani curators are already experts at making such road-like pitches.”
It’s clear Rauf is baffled by the inconsistency between hiring top-level foreign expertise and delivering lackluster results on the field.
Tough Start For Head Coach
Jason Gillespie’s time as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach has gotten off to a rocky start. Pakistan was whitewashed 2-0 by Bangladesh, and the humiliating defeat to England in Multan, meaning Gillespie has lost his first three matches as head coach.
Shan Masood, who was appointed as Pakistan’s Test captain last year, has now lost his first six matches in charge. With such poor results, many are beginning to question whether the recent changes in the team’s management are actually making a difference or merely adding to the problems.
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