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Kevin Pietersen has once again voiced his frustration over the flat Multan pitch used in the first Test between England and Pakistan. This marks the second instance of the former England cricketer criticizing the surface during the ongoing game. The match saw Pakistan post a mammoth first-innings total of 556, with standout performances from Abdullah Shafique (102), Shan Masood (151), Saud Shakeel (82), and Agha Salman (104*). England’s bowlers struggled to make inroads, with Jack Leach being the most effective, claiming three wickets.
In response, England also found the pitch to be highly favorable to batting, with their score at 337/3 and a run rate of over 5. Joe Root led the charge with his 35th Test century. However, while the match appears to be an intense contest between batters, the pitch’s inability to offer assistance to bowlers has sparked widespread criticism from the cricket community.
Kevin Pietersen Blasts Multan Pitch for Harming Test Cricket
Kevin Pietersen took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his concern, suggesting that such lifeless pitches could negatively impact the appeal of Test cricket. He posted, “Still a bowler’s graveyard! If this wicket doesn’t crumble and produce a result, it’s helping DESTROY Test cricket.” His comments reflect a growing sentiment that excessively batter-friendly conditions could detract from the competitiveness of the longest format.
Other prominent voices in English cricket, such as Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, have also weighed in, lamenting the lack of balance between bat and ball on the Multan surface. As the match progresses into its final days, all eyes will be on how the pitch behaves and whether it can provide the necessary deterioration to set up a result.
