ENG vs PAK / Rawalpindi pitch receives below average rating by ICC first Test between Pakistan and England

Rawalpindi Pitch: The ICC on Tuesday termed the pitch of the first Test played between England and Pakistan in Rawalpindi as below average, on which the bowlers did not get any help. Seven centuries were scored in that match and England won by 74 runs after scoring 506 runs on four wickets on the first day. England scored 657 runs for four wickets in the match.

Troubled by the defeat, another bad news came for Pakistan

This stadium also had to face a demerit point. For the second time within eight months, the stadium has been given demerit points. The pitch was also described as below average in the first Test between Pakistan and Australia in March. According to a release issued by the ICC, 'The pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has been rated by the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, Andy Pycroft, as below average. One demerit point was imposed on this under the ICC pitch and outfield monitoring process.

ICC gave this very severe punishment

Pycraft said in his assessment, 'The bowlers did not get any help from this pitch. This is the reason that the batsmen scored fast and a lot of runs. The pitch didn't even break during the match. If the pitch is below average, the stadium has to face one demerit point, while three and five demerit points are imposed if the pitch is declared bad or unfit. If there are five demerit points in total, the ground cannot host international cricket for one year and if there are ten demerit points, the suspension is two years.