'We lived in an apartheid situation where...' - Ramiz Raja breaks silence on state of pitches in Pakistan

Ramiz Raja (Source: Twitter)

England’s first tour to Pakistan after a long gap of 17 years started on a wonderful note for them as they piled on the runs on Day 1 when they played the first Test at Rawalpindi. They scored 506 runs on a surface that looked like a flat road. Four of England’s batters scored centuries. Only three maiden overs were bowled by Pakistan on the first day.

With the result that unfolded on Day 1, one thing that became a hot point of discussion was the pitch that was prepared at Rawalpindi. At the moment it appears that Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ramiz Raja has gone back on his word about getting drop-in pitches to Pakistan. He promised to address the issue when he became chairman last year but it has taken a back seat.

"It is embarrassing for us, especially when you have a cricketer as chairman," Ramiz was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo, speaking to the media during the lunch break on the second day of the Test. "This is not a good advert for cricket. We're a better cricketing nation than this."

Pitches are lifeblood of cricket in the country - Ramiz Raja

"We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan. They aren't exposed in T20 and 50 overs but they are in Test cricket. We lived in an apartheid situation where teams didn't come here. Pakistan players had played 70 Tests without playing here. It's an achievement that we managed to stay afloat. We've tried everything, bringing in a curator from abroad. Pitches are the lifeblood of cricket in a country, but having said that, I've never seen batting like England's on Day 1 either." He added.

Although he promised to tend to the serious issue of pitches in Pakistan, it was easier said than done as there have not been any steps undertaken and corrective measures put out to address the issue and although there have been talks revolving around it. It looks like the talks have vanished into thin air. He also said that the pitches will take a year to get proper.

Here is what Raja talked about in terms of a potential solution. "Ultimately, the only situation is a drop-in pitch. Which is extremely expensive if we're bringing it from abroad. Instead, we're developing soil here for drop-in pitches. That way, we can prepare square turners or bouncy wickets depending on what we want. It is clear from these words that he wants to produce the pitches indigenously.