KARACHI: After severe backlash on the bowling unfriendly and lifeless nature of the pitch in the first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand, a fast and bouncy track has been prepared to make the second Test a lively contest between bat and ball.
According to the details, a vibrant pitch was prepared on the special instructions of the chief of the Men’s Interim National Selection Committee Shahid Afridi, who paid a visit to the National Cricket Bank Arena on Saturday when the pitch preparation was underway.
Meanwhile, a special curator named Ashraf came to Karachi from Rawalpindi for the task.
On Sunday, the New Zealand side held a full-strength training session at the venue and keenly assessed the revamped pitch ahead of the second Test, commencing tomorrow.
“It does look different from the first Test. A little bit more moisture in there at the moment” said New Zealand batting coach Luke Ronchi in a press talk after the practice session.
He added both teams would first evaluate the pitch tomorrow before making the decision whether they wanted to go with an extra fast bowler.
“I reckon both teams will be in the same position where they’ll wait to see what it’s exactly like in the morning,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention that the pitch for the recently-concluded first Test turned out to be a nightmare for the bowlers, especially the pacers as a mammoth 1422 runs were scored in response to 28 wickets.
“We cannot move forward if we keep playing on the pitches we played in the past. We want to modernize and improvise our cricket. Such pitches can prove to be harmful to the bowlers,” expressed Afridi yesterday.
The two-match series is currently levelled after a draw in the first game.
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