KARACHI: The ground at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where Pakistan and Australia played to a boring draw in the first Test on Tuesday, has been officially judged “below average” by the match referee and given a demerit point.

On a Rawalpindi lifeless flat track, bowlers toiled and batters dominated, scoring 1,187 runs for the loss of only 14 wickets in the Test.

“The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days,” match referee Ranjan Madugalle said in his report.

“There has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball.”

Madugalle added: “In keeping with the ICC guidelines I rate this pitch as below average.”

The lifeless pitch, according to fans and commentators, ruined Australia’s first Test in Pakistan in 24 years, after the squad had previously rejected to come due to security concerns.

Demerit points are active for a rolling five-year period under ICC rules, and if a venue accrues five, it is barred from hosting international cricket for a year.

On Saturday, the second Test of the three-match series begins in Karachi.

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