PAK vs NZ: Simon Doull on Babar Azam: The second and final Test match between New Zealand and Pakistan is being played at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Day 4 game is underway, with the visitors looking to add some runs to give Pakistan a big target. This game has produced some big scores from the batters in the first two innings. And as usual, the bowlers have struggled to get assistance from the pitch.
Notably, the pitches in Pakistan have drawn a lot of criticism for the pitches they have produced in recent times for test matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has faced a huge backlash in recent times as the pitches have come under scanner. Many former cricketers and cricket commentators have criticized Pakistan’s Test pitches. Former New Zealand cricketer and current commentator Simon Doull, who is part of the commentary panel for the ongoing series in Pakistan, is the latest to question the pitches in Pakistan.
PAK vs NZ: Does Babar Azam need these pitches to improve his stats” – Simon Doull
The second test has also produced runs, with both teams scoring over 400 in their first innings. New Zealand made 449 runs in their first inning, while Pakistan reached a score of 408 runs. In the second inning as well, the Black Caps are looking to get a big score to put Pakistan to bat in the second inning. Meanwhile, Simon Doull, who was doing the commentary on Day 3, went on to question the pitches in Pakistan. He said,
“Where do these directives come from? Do they come from Babar Azam? Does he want to play on these roads to improve his own stats. Pakistan has got to start producing the same wickets for Tests as they do for first-class cricket. The people above, the hierarchy, have just got to leave their noses out of it. Let the ground staff do their job properly.”
Doull also stated that the PCB should let the pitch curator do their job and not interfere with their work. He stated that they are wasting their time on flat pitches and that it will not help them in the future. The former New Zealand cricketer also stated that if they select their best first-class bowler, Mir Humza, they should also prepare a good pitch that will help him rather than giving him a chance on a road where he will be unable to perform.