ICC rescinds ‘below average’ rating for Rawalpindi pitch

The Rawalpindi pitch’s demerit point after the ICC World Test Championship series between Pakistan and England’s first game has now been rescinded.

Following a Pakistan Cricket Board appeal, the decision was made. After the first Test of the series in early December, the pitch grade at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was deemed to be “below average.”

England won the Test by 74 runs after some exciting batting. The pitch was later described as “embarrassing” by PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja, and Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees agreed.

“It was a very flat pitch which gave almost no assistance to any type of bowler,” Pycroft said. “That was the main reason why batters scored very fast and both sides posted huge totals. 

“The pitch hardly deteriorated during the course of the match. Since there was very little in it for the bowlers, I found the pitch to be ‘below average’ as per the ICC guidelines.”

The ICC appeal panel, however, came to the unanimous conclusion that the pitch had some “redeeming features” after studying the Test Match film, including the fact that a result was feasible and that 37 out of 39 wickets were taken.

The appeal panel concluded that the pitch did not deserve the “below average” grade it had previously received.

The venue had previously faced the possibility of having its right to hold international cricket matches suspended due to the number of demerit points it had received.