Pakistani pitches compared with rest of the sub-continent as well as the UAE

[SpiritOf1903]

Much is being made of Pakistan having the worst quality pitches in subcontinent.

Having played in Arab Emirates for so long, the pitches there being conducive to spin bowling , it turns out the classic FTBs aren't there as they should be.

Selection being a separate topic of course.

Indian Punjab is considered the breadbasket of India so intriguing as to why Pakistani pitches so arid everywhere. Karachi is somewhat expected as it has its own microclimate.

Is this a case of bad curators or Pakistan simply being the flatbread of South Asia?.

 

[pakistani pride]

Pitches are pathetic.

I thought UAE was bad this is even worse.

Very bad advert for TEST cricket.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pitches are pathetic.

I thought UAE was bad this is even worse.

Very bad advert for TEST cricket.

Yeah. These pitches actually suit SENA countries more.

 

[Desi Don]

its road in Pakistan not pitch

 

[pakistani pride]

Yeah. These pitches actually suit SENA countries more.

Worse part is that lots of soft runs are being scored and once they go abroad are exposed big time. On the other hand even the runs being scored are not enough to draw a TEST match forget about winning.

Then you will hear them on TV about their averages etc when dropped.

These guys should stop playing TEST cricket and focus on white ball formats.

 

[sweep_shot]

I don't think I have ever seen a proper spin-friendly pitch in Pakistan. Pitches are either always flat or assist the pacers. Is it deliberately done like this or is it due to conditions?

Weakest point of SENA countries is playing spin. Flat pitch negates that advantage for Pakistan.

 

[SamNJ]

I think Mirpur pitch was very good. First 2 days good for pacers and batsmen then big turner.

 

[castortroy]

I don't think I have ever seen a proper spin-friendly pitch in Pakistan. Pitches are either always flat or assist the pacers. Is it deliberately done like this or is it due to conditions?

Weakest point of SENA countries is playing spin. Flat pitch negates that advantage for Pakistan.

What are pak advantages?

 

[sweep_shot]

What are pak advantages?

Weakest point of SENA countries = Playing spin.

If Pakistan dish out flat pitches, that reduces one advantage. These little things add up.

 

[ElRaja]

What are pak advantages?

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[Cover Drive Six]

Ashwin and Jaddu can score double hundreds on this kind of pitches.

 

[Ashmal]

Pakistan has always had the flattest of pitches, apart from a few exceptions.

I remember 2000s where we used to see games of 600 vs 600 quite often.

Spinners have never enjoyed bowling in Pakistan.

 

[sweep_shot]

Spinners have never enjoyed bowling in Pakistan.

Why is this? Is it deliberate or due to specific conditions?

 

[Ashmal]

Why is this? Is it deliberate or due to specific conditions?

Probably the conditions not suitable to prepare dustbowls except in Karachi.

Or maybe just the incompetence of curators

 

[shah_1]

Pakistan test cricket will die soon if pitches remain the same.

 

[jnaveen1980]

The top surface looks almost the same for all the pitches. Be it is Karachi or Multan. They could leave some grass on it instead of giving a bone dry pitch.

 

[gibsyhesperis]

I just quickly looked up the stats.
About 45% of all Test matches in Pakistan, since we started playing test cricket, have ended up as draws
We have the highest percentage of drawn tests of any major side (for comparison, in India 40% of tests have been drawn).

It is astonishing that anyone wants to try and be a fast bowler in Pakistan and explains why we have so many batsmen who struggle when there is bounce in the wickets abroad.

 

[Buffet]

Dead pitch did not help against Eng. Eng simply out batted Pakistan.

NZ will have harder time doing what Eng did and games can end in draws.

Let's see how pitch behaves in the last 3 days. Things can change.

 

[pakistani pride]

Pakistan test cricket will die soon if pitches remain the same.

It is dead already.

like I mentioned this lot needs to focus on white ball cricket, there they might achieve something. TEST cricket is too tough for them.

 

[lazy cricketer]

pitches in domestic matches of Pakistan are the reason we have such bad batting talent coming out of Pakistan....these pitches turn ordinary bowlers into extraordinary

 

[jnaveen1980]

According to cricviz Pakistan has the lowest average bounce.

 

[lazy cricketer]

According to cricviz Pakistan has the lowest average bounce.

thats the reason we play bad in places like aus sa and nz

 

[Markhor]

According to cricviz Pakistan has the lowest average bounce.

Another tour of the southern hemisphere, another bunch of batting collapses against the rising ball, another set of drubbings. As the inquests begin, perhaps one place to start looking for answers is that table.

When you've grown up on the lowest bouncing pitches in the world (by a distance !) and without a proper programme of A tours, it's difficult for batsmen to adapt to the bounce in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. No wonder our top domestic batters are front foot bullies who cannot handle anything short of a length.

What that table also shows is an outlier even amongst Asian nations ! Can PCB make it a mission for 2024 to improve that bounce rating to 50% ? We don't need our pitches to resemble Perth or Brisbane. But surely a more diverse range of FC surfaces can only be beneficial for everyone and produce a higher standard of cricket - encouraging batsmen, pacers and spinners.