Pak vs Aus: Australian captain Pat Cummins refuses to criticise Rawalpindi pitch

RAWALPINDI: Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain, said he would leave it up to fans and analysts to judge the dead wicket that saw his team’s first Test in Pakistan in nearly two decades conclude in a dull draw in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

“I think the players always want a fair battle between bat and ball, and that’s when I think Test cricket is at its best and most rewarding,” When questioned about a pitch that generated 1,187 runs for just 14 wickets in five days, Cummins was diplomatic.

“It’s for fans and you guys (media) to kind of watch it from the outside and kind of judge the spectacle.”

When the match finished without a result, Pakistan were 252 for no loss in their second innings. In response to Pakistan’s declared first-inning score of 476-4, Australia scored 459.

“Turning up to a pitch — probably not a traditional pitch — you get here in Rawalpindi and coming away with a draw, it’s not a bad result,” Cummins said afterwards.

It was Australia’s first Test on Pakistani soil since 1998, after the country had previously declined to visit due to security concerns.

The Pakistan openers took advantage of the opportunity for batting practice ahead of the second Test, which begins on Saturday in Karachi.

Pakistan’s openers dominated the last day, with Imam-ul-Haq collecting his second century of the match and Abdullah Shafique scoring his first.

Following up on his 157 in the first innings, Haq hit an undefeated 111, while Shafique finished on 136.

After putting on a century opening partnership in both innings in a Test against Australia on Friday, they became the first Pakistani pair to do so.

Shafique was the first to reach his century, needing only a single from seamer Cameron Green to reach the milestone in 209 minutes. He struck 15 boundaries and a six in total.

In 276 minutes, Haq, who was playing his first Test since December 2019, pushed part-timer Travis Head for two runs.

They have the highest first-wicket stand against Australia in all Tests, surpassing Khalid Ibadulla and Abdul Kadir’s 249 in Karachi in 1964.

The two openers were so dominant that it was the first time in 51 years when Australia conceded 100-plus opening stands in both innings of a Test match.

In Adelaide in 1971, England’s Geoff Boycott and John Edrich were the last pair to achieve the feat against Australia.

On the flat, lifeless surface, the legendary Australian pace three of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, who had combined for 674 Test wickets before this match, got only one more.

Shafique expressed his joy at scoring a perfect score.

“This century will give me confidence and step up my career,” he added.

Nauman Ali, a left-arm spinner, had earlier cleaned up the Australian tail with a worrying line and length, finishing with career-best figures of 6-107 in 38.1 overs, his third five-wicket haul in eight Tests.

After Australia resumed on 449-7, his effort helped Pakistan to take the last three wickets for just 10 runs.

Nauman, who had a previous high of 5-35 in a match against South Africa in Karachi last year, quickly dismissed Australian skipper Pat Cummins for eight and Nathan Lyon for three.

Starc was bowled by left-arm bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who finished with stats of 2-88 in 30 overs.

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