Shan Masood. (Source – PCB)
Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood recently explained the thinking behind the decision to reuse the Multan pitch in their successful second Test against England last month, which resulted in a brilliant 152-run victory. Masood spoke about a careful assessment of ground conditions and team strategy.
The Pakistani think tank, including head coach Jason Gillespie and PCB’s head curator Tony Hemming, made a bold choice after careful consideration. Their primary thought was to create conditions that would favour their spinners. The team even employed industrial fans to manage the pitch’s moisture levels, working with the existing cracks and bowlers’ footmarks from the previous Test.
“We decided to play on a used pitch because the fresh pitch we were preparing was also going to be a spin wicket. The issue was that too much water had been given to the square, and the option was that if we played on a fresh pitch, it wouldn’t break at all,” Shan told Cricket Pakistan.
The better option was to take the used pitch: Shan Masood
This decision proved in favour of Pakistan’s bowling attack. The spin duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan emerged as the key architects of England’s downfall, claiming an impressive 19 of the 20 English wickets. Their performance was particularly noteworthy as it helped Pakistan secure their first test series victory on home soil since 2021.
“The better option was to take the used pitch, prepare it a bit, roll it, improve its condition, and play on it, as it was already dry. This way, it would start breaking by the third day, making a result possible and giving our spinners a chance to take 20 wickets,” he added.
The decision, while unconventional, was well within ICC regulations, which only specify that pitches must be in optimal condition without specifically requiring them to be unused. England struggled to adapt to the challenging conditions, with their batters finding it difficult to counter the variable bounce and turn.
The victory saw Pakistan break their 11-Test winless streak at home. The success of their spin twins continued into the final Test in Rawalpindi, where they helped secure a 2-1 series victory with another dominant performance, claiming 39 of the 40 English wickets across the last two Tests.