Pakistan’s Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is now in danger of being suspended from hosting international matches after it was given one demerit point for the pitch that was dished out during the first Test match between Pakistan and England. This was the second consecutive time the venue’s pitch came under the scanner. The previous ‘below-average’ rating came during the Test match against Australia which ended in a draw in March this year.
While a lot of batting records were shattered during the opening Test of the series that England managed to win by 74 runs, the pitch used in Rawalpindi came under fire for providing bowlers with very little assistance throughout the five-day contest. Many, including PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, believed the pitch was conducive to producing a result.
The pitch now received two demerit points and further demerit Points could spell doom for the venue. “…the venue has now received two demerit points from consecutive Tests under the Cricket Council Body’s Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process and could be in danger of being suspended from hosting any international cricket if more demerit points are lost. Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period and when a venue accumulates five demerit points it is suspended from staging any international cricket for a period of 12 months,” Cricket Council Body said in a release.
England scripted an incredible world record during the first Test of the series against Pakistan on Day 1, going past Australia’s previous-highest total of 494/6 for the opening day, which they registered against South Africa in 1910.
The Test match saw 1768 runs getting scored. England smashed 657 runs in the first innings, while the Pakistan side scored 579. The three lions then went on to smash 264 runs in the second innings at a run rate of over 7, while Pakistan managed to score 268 in their chase. This saw the first Test between these two sides becoming the match with the most runs scored in a Test match where a result has come.
