The pitch used for the historic first Test between Pakistan and Australia here has received a "below average" rating from the International Cricket Council with match referee Ranjan Madugalle on Thursday stating that the surface didn't "represent an even contest between bat and ball".
Pakistan's first home Test against Australia in 24 years ended in a tame draw on Tuesday with the hosts posting 476/4 declared and 252 for no loss in their two innings, and the visitors responding with 449 all out -- a total of 1187 runs for the fall of just 14 wickets over five days.
Following Madugalle's observation, the venue received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield 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," Madugalle 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." According to the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, one demerit point is awarded to venues whose pitches are rated below average by match referees, while three and five demerit points are awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as poor and unfit respectively.
The batters made merry with Imam-ul-Haq notching up twin centuries, while Azhar Ali and Abdullah Shafique scored a ton each.
The Pindi pitch received flak from all quarters with Australia opener David Warner saying that he hoped for an improved surface in the second Test of the three-match series in Karachi that begins on Saturday.
However, Imam-ul-Haq dismissed the criticism surrounding the Pindi pitch, insisting that it was "same" for both the teams.
"I didn't tell the curator to make a pitch according to me, nor is he my relative. It was the same for Australia, yet we got their 10 wickets and none of them managed to score 100. I didn't ask for the pitch so that I can score a hundred in each innings," he said.
Iman said being the hosts, Pakistan were simply playing to their strengths.
"A draw is something nobody wants to see. Obviously when it's a five-day Test everyone anticipates for a result. But when we go to Australian conditions, they don't make pitches consulting us but make it according to their will so I think we should see our strength and should live up to our strength," he said.
"...I think the Rawalpindi Test was played well as we managed to get all 10 wickets. Unfortunately 70 overs were not played out due to bad light and rain but had those overs been bowled the result could have been different because we intended to make them bat again." Australia were touring Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having previously refused to visit the country over security fears.
Meanwhile, Australia opener David Warner called for a more sporting pitch in Karachi which will host the second Test, starting March 12.
"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.
"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," Warner further added.
