The Pakistan Cricket Board has put its chief curator Agha Zahid on notice after a glaring difference in the type of pitches prepared for the ongoing Pentangular Cup.
Sources in the Board told PTI today that Zahid, a former Test player, had been put on a three months probation after the pitches he prepared at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore turned out to be batting paradises.
Two matches played at the Gaddafi stadium saw a plethora of runs being scored by the participating teams while in contrast all three matches played at the National stadium in southern Karachi have produced exciting cricket and results.
"The board had issued letters to all curators before the Pentangular Cup making it clear that bouncy and seaming tracks should be prepared for the tournament to allow the selectors to properly check out the available talent," one source said.
"While the chief curator at the NSK in Karachi, Ahsan Arian followed the letter completely and prepared some good sporting tracks, Zahid who is the board's chief curator failed miserably in his job," the source added.
"So dead were the pitches prepared under Zahid's supervision that batsmen have had a field day and the Federal areas team even accused the board of preparing a dead track to nullify fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar in the first match in which his match fitness was on trial."
In contrast in Karachi the pace bowlers have enjoyed themselves and in a match today, Baluchistan province were bowled out for just 42 runs in a low scoring match.
{{/usCountry}}In contrast in Karachi the pace bowlers have enjoyed themselves and in a match today, Baluchistan province were bowled out for just 42 runs in a low scoring match.
{{/usCountry}}A Board official said the top brass was completely dissatisfied with Zahid's work and were now looking to hire a permanent curator from abroad.