Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players'The bottomline was "we shouldn't lose'": Afridi blasts pitch conditions in 1st Test; sends big warning for Babar and co
Shahid Afridi spoke in detail about the pitch condition and the mindset with which Pakistan played in the first Test against Australia in Rawalpindi.
The first Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a dull draw in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. Opting to bat on a run-filled surface, Pakistan had made 476-4 before declaring their first innings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. By the time they bowled out Australia for 459 on the final day, the chances of any team winning the contest had evaporated. Pakistan decided to bat on allowing Imam, who went into the match without a century in his previous 11 tests, to score his second hundred of the contest.
Many in the cricket fraternity were critical of the pitch conditions and former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also joined the debate, insisting that the hosts' priority was to not lose the game.
'They didn't think about Australia, the bottomline was 'we shouldn't lose'. But in the next two Tests in Lahore and Karachi, they have to make good pitches. You have to take advantage of your home series, or else when you go to Australia, you're going to struggle," Afridi said on Samaa TV.
The former Pakistan captain also criticised Babar Azam and the team management for not being more aggressive with their team combination on such a surface, further warning the side that fast bowlers can take a serious hit if the team continues to play with a defensive combination (7 batters, 4 bowlers).
“Our bowling strength is so good. Our fast bowlers can bowl out this Australian side. And it isn't as if our batters cannot play the Aussie bowlers. Cricket has grown over the past many years, it is time we grow as well. If you want people to count you among the likes of South Africa, England, Australia, New Zealand, you need to stay positive,” said Afridi.
“I've been playing for long and I know it is there since the start (the combination of seven batters and four bowlers). Six genuine batsmen are enough in any team, then you have an all-rounder and bowlers. But we always play with this combination (7-4). This isn't going to work. Our batsmen are in form. If you are making pitches like these, you will have to play bowlers or else these fast bowlers will be at the risk of injuries.”
