'We didn't get pitch as per plan': Babar Azam hits out at PCB after loss to England

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on Monday criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the 'dead' Rawalpindi pitch after his team lost the first Test match against England.

England handed Pakistan a humiliating defeat as the home side failed to reach the target of 343 runs on the final day of the match. After the game, Babar disclosed that despite his team's extensive input regarding the type of pitch they desired for the first Test, the PCB did not prepare the surface in accordance with their plans.

Babar said he doesn't know the exact reason as to why the pitch was not prepared according to their plan, adding that it may be due to the weather or because it was made that way. The Rawalpindi pitch came under a lot of criticism after England piled up a world-record 506 runs on the opening day of the first Test. England eventually finished the first innings with 657 runs on the board, making another record for scoring the highest-ever total against Pakistan in a Test match. 

"I gave a lot of inputs. We didn't get the pitch as per plan or in the manner we had anticipated. Our plans were built on the idea that we desired a turning track. However, whether it was due to the weather or because it was made that way, we didn't get as planned," the Pakistan captain said in the post-match press conference. 

Pakistan vs England

Batting first, England scored 657 runs courtesy of centuries from Zak Crawley (122), Ben Duckett (107), Ollie Pope (108), and Harry Brook (153). In response, Pakistan made 579 runs with the help of three hundreds from Abdullah Shafique (114), Imam-ul-Haq (121), and Babar Azam (136). In the second innings, England declared at 264/7 with Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Harry Brook each scoring a half-century to their names. 

Pakistan then began the chase with 343 runs as the target. Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, and Agha Salman contributed with scores of 48, 40, 76, and 46 runs, respectively. However, an exceptional bowling performance from Ollie Robinson and James Anderson bowled Pakistan out for 268 runs, with England winning the match by 74 runs. Robinson was named the player of the match for picking a total of 5 wickets and for contributing with the bat. 

Image: Twitter/PCB