'Even Naseem Shah can score 70-80 runs on this pitch': Afridi's explosive remark

The first Test between Pakistan and England has come under the scanner for poor surface at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground. While the fans and former cricketers have shown their disappointment on a rather flat wicket, the grassless pitch has even been criticized by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja as not a good advert for Test cricket. "We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan," he told reporters, adding, "it's embarrassing for us, especially if you have a cricketer as chairman."

Only 14 wickets fell over five days on a similar type of pitch when Australia last played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium and the wicket was rated as “below average” by ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle. The pitch received one demerit point as a result.

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On Friday, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also spoke in detail about the pitch in Rawalpindi as he talked about the 1st Test in Rawalpindi. He stated that he switched the television off because the match was “boring.”

“You don't enjoy such matches. Ek stage pe toh mera dil nahi chaa raha tha match dekhne ka. Bohot hi boring ho gaya tha, bowlers ke liye kuch hai hi nahi. Batsmen bhi agar maar diye toh maar diye. Maza nahi aaya. Allah kare ki result aaye, inki bowling lineup bhi aisi hai ki shayad Pakistan ko do baar out naa kar paayein. (At one stage, I didn't feel like watching the game. It became boring, there's nothing for the bowlers. Hope there's a result, because I don't think England can bowl Pakistan out twice),” Afridi said on Samaa TV.

Afridi further said that even Naseem Shah can score a century on a pitch like this.

“Hamko agar final me jaana hai, badi badi teams ko haraana hai, toh hamein bowlers ko confidence dena padega. Ham shell pe chale jaate hain ki kahi batsman naa out ho jaayein. Come on, thoda positive sochna padega. Hamaari batting achhi hai, achhi seaming pitches khilao. Inn pitches pe Naseem Shah bhi 70-80 run kar dega. (If we have to play in the WTC final, beat big teams, we have to give bowlers confidence. We just can't live in fear that our batsmen will get out early. We have to get our batsmen to play on seaming pitches. On such pitches (like Rawalpindi), even Naseem Shah can score 70-80 runs).”

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