Javed Miandad and Aqib Javed slammed Ramiz Raja for drop-in pitches idea

KARACHI: Pakistan’s ex-captain Javed Miandad and Pakistan’s former Test pacer Aqib Javed slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja for his drop-in pitches idea to improve national cricket team performance.

Ramiz Raja announced on the occasion of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) seventh edition 2022 draft that Karachi and Lahore will get a drop-in pitch each as PCB look to revamp the quality of cricket across the country.

However, former cricketers have rejected Ramiz Raja’s idea of installing drop-in pitches in Pakistan.

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PCB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Arif Habib Group in this regard. Both pitches have an estimated cost of Rs. 37 crores.

“There is no need for drop-in pitches in Pakistan, every kind of pitch is made in Pakistan. We also became world-class players by playing on these pitches,” Miandad said while talking to media at a local hotel in Karachi.

“Very few know this that basically the idea of the drop-in pitch was first introduced by Kerry Packer in Australia as he didn’t have grounds to organize world cricket series,”

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“It would not affect the quality, the grounds in New Zealand and Australia are used for different sports, therefore, drop-in pitches are used, this is not the case in Pakistan, we have separate cricket stadiums,” Aqib said while interacting with media.

“The amount spent on drop-in pitches can be used to make four standard pitches in each stadium, which can benefit our players by practising,”