PAK vs AUS 2022 | ICC rates Rawalpindi pitch below average after first Test match

The International Cricket Council (ICC) rated the pitch below average that was used in Rawalpindi during the first Test match of the series. Pakistan hosting their first Test match against Australia since 1998 on home soil were unable to get a victory over the visitors at Rawalpindi. Both teams scored big runs in the first innings of the match which eventually resulted in a draw. The second Test match of the series is scheduled to be played in Karachi from Saturday.

The match referee Ranjan Madugale gave the rating and a demerit point according to the ICC Pitch and Monitoring process. 

"The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days and that there has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower," Ranjan Madugale said in an ICC statement.

"The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners as the match progressed. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines I rate this pitch as below average."

Australian opening batter David Warner while speaking to the media said he expects a better pitch in Karachi for the second Test match.

"From a batsman's point of view, you can roll the same one as Islamabad, and hopefully I don't get out, but that's not...what we want from a cricketing point of view. You want something to...Obviously, it's the break up, be something there for the spinners. A little bit more sort of, you know, it wasn't turning as much" Warner said.

"You saw Nathan Lyon when he was hitting that rough, wasn't doing anything, was just pretty much going straight on slow off the wicket. It wasn't any like that variable bounce, which you generally do see on worn wickets."

"And as I said before, we don't know what we're expecting here in Karachi until we rock up and see the wicket. But I just want a game were you can actually have create 20 chances. It's something that's going to be exciting and entertaining for the crowd."