PAK vs ENG: Shoaib Akhtar lashes out at PCB over ‘selfish’ pitch strategy

Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has voiced against the pitch preparation strategy by Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) pitch in Rawalpindi for the third test against England.

The former pacer accused the board of adopting a "selfish approach" by setting up spin-friendly wickets in Rawalpindi.  

“When you don’t put the right people in the right jobs and you put the wrong mindset on the wrong jobs, this is exactly what happens,” Akhtar said while speaking on Test Match Special.

The former pacer, who has taken 444 international wickets for Pakistan, argued that Pakistan’s cricketing woes are a culmination of two decades of poor decision-making.

“The division and decline we see today didn’t happen overnight. “I often complained to my captains: ‘Why are you making dead pitches?” he said, emphasizing that the PCB should prioritize competitive pitches that support all aspects of the game.

“What do we do from here? We either take a selfish approach, make a spinning track, to win games. Or we save the game (Test cricket),” he said.

“I often complained to my captains: ‘Why are you making dead pitches?”

Akhtar’s remarks follow Pakistan’s disappointing innings defeat by 47 runs in the first Test on a flat Multan pitch, where bowlers struggled to make an impact.

However, in the second Test at the same venue, Pakistan leveled the series with a 152-run win as spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan claimed all 20 English wickets on a track tailored to aid spin.

The Rawalpindi Test is once again being played on a surface expected to favor spin.