Former Pakistan cricketer Bazid Khan has made a massive statement that the England Cricket Board (ECB) offers pitches in a different manner when India tours the country so that the Test match can last for all five days.
Speaking on the Outside Edge show, Bazid added that other countries visiting England get a completely different treatment. Pakistan’s current tour of England saw the visitors suffer an innings defeat in the first Test, which concluded in three days. In the second Test at Lord’s in London, England bagged a 194-run win on the fourth day.
“When India go to England for a Test series, they get pitches that make the game last all five days. Every Test match with India lasts five days. Why? Because if it ends early, there will be a financial hit to the wallet of the board. Any other team goes to England, the Test ends in three days. It’s not like the nature of the pitch changed. You are creating pitches that way that the game would last five days for India games,” Bazid said on Outside EDGE.
“When India come for a tour, it’s a money-making opportunity. This is not an ICC call. These are bilateral tours,” he added.
On Monday, August 31, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released seven players after suffering a Test series defeat to England away from home. PCB revealed in its media statement that Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have been asked to return home.
The PCB brought in seven replacements. Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah have been added to the updated Pakistan Test squad.
Pakistan’s updated Test squad for the third Test vs England:
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
