Pakistan is currently hosting England for a historic three-match Test series. The English team is playing a Test match in Pakistan after a gap of 17 years. The first match of the series is currently underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The team led by Ben Stokes won the toss and decided to bat first.
This decision paid off as openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put on an excellent partnership in the middle. In the first session of the first day, the two were focused and determined to get quick runs. The two wasted no time to get going and hit early boundaries in the match.
On the other hand, Pakistan bowlers failed to put any pressure on the batters early in the day. They let the openers settle in quickly, which proved to be a tricky situation for them. The wicket at the venue also did not help the bowlers much. There was no assistance to the bowlers, which is a must for a track prepared for Test cricket.
The lack of bounce, swing, turn and drift allowed Crawley and Duckett to get quick runs under the belt. Each scored a half-century in no time, and at the time of writing this article, have scored 174 runs in their partnership of 27 overs before lunch. Crawley is nearing his century, having scored 91 runs in 79 balls, while Duckett has scored 77 runs in 85 balls.
In the meantime, fans have taken to Twitter to lash out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for preparing such a flat track. The fans have accused the board of preparing a flat track in order to force a draw in the match.
"@TheRealPCB is the dumbest cricket board.... Agree or die... Making flat tracks in home series against the most destructive test team....Why, what's the logic there??? Just to make it draw," wrote an angry fan. "This Test Match pitch is prepared by Pakistan's National Highway Authority," wrote another.
Here is how Twitter reacted to Rawalpindi's flat wicket
PCB has inaugurated a new motorway in Rawalpindi. ECB the chief guest.
— Amjad Rasheed 🇵🇰 (@AmjadRasheed92) December 1, 2022
98/0 13 overs#PAKvENG #PakistanCricket
#PAKvENG
#PakistanCricket team is a bunch of clowns 🤡 in #TestCricket
— celestial_sphere (@civil_engg2021) December 1, 2022
Just the 10th over & field position is like of death overs.
So called best bowling line-up & runs r flowing like T20 cricket against those who collapse 9/10 times😂
Such a FLUKE TEAM.#CricketTwitter #PAKvsEng #pkmkb
Is it test match or another t20 😂😂 just Pakistan way. Dead rubber spotted. #PakistanCricket @wwasay #BabarAzam𓃵
— Viinayak tokade (@Vinayaktokade) December 1, 2022
Test ke naam pe t20 khel rahey hain yeh angrez poote🥲#PakistanCricket #PAKvsEng
— فردوس ارشاد پیر (@fidupeer) December 1, 2022
Eng 17.3 over 127-0, So called Pakistani bowlers playing at home condition. r u watching my illegitimate Son @daniel86cricket cc @IamDimuth #PakistanCricket #Cricket
— Daniel’s Father (@DanielsFather) December 1, 2022
@TheRealPCB is the dumbest cricket board....
— Shohrat Malik (@MdShohrat8141) December 1, 2022
Agree or die...
Making flat tracks in home series against the most destructive test team....
💀😑🤦♂️
Why, what's the logic there???
Just to make it draw
😶#PAKvsEng #PakistanCricket #ramizraja
Yeh t20 hai Kya? Abrar kab tak bethega bench par#PakistanCricket
— Fahad Bin Shoaib (@FahadBinShoaib1) December 1, 2022
Somebody tell them #T20WorldCup completed. Its a test match. #ENGvsPAK #PakistanCricket #barmyarmy
— பாலகிருஷ்ணன் செல்லையா (@B_PositiveDonor) December 1, 2022
This Test Match pitch is prepared by Pakistan's National Highway Authority. @TheRealPCBMedia @TheRealPCB@iramizraja#Cricket #CricketTwitter #PakistanCricket #CricketPakistan #PAKvENG #PAKvsENG #TestCricket
— Muhammad Bilal (@itsmbilal) December 1, 2022
Bhai kya pitch hai yeh??
— crictweets (@crictweets7) December 1, 2022
13.5 over
102/0#PAKvsEng #PakistanCricket #TestCricket #PakvsEng2022 #Pitch #ICC #BabarAzam𓃵 #ViratKohli𓃵