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Pakistan and England started off their historic Test series at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Thursday (December 1). The series is a massive one for Pakistan cricket as this is the first time in 17 years that England are playing red-ball fixtures in the coun൲try.
The match came under a grey cloud with several players in the England team, including skipper Ben Stokes falling sick because of an unknown virus. However, the Three Lions were able to field a XI with only one change in the form of Will Jacks coming in place of Ben Foakes, who was ill.
Stokes won the toss and opted to bat first, which turned out to be a perfect decision as the track at Pindi stadium was nothing but a batting paradise. English batters enjoyed the time, with the opening pair of Zak Crawley (122) and Ben Duckett (107) putting up a record-breaking 233-run partnership, i🧸ncluding their respective centuries﷽.
As if this wasn’t enough, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook also smashed hundreds and punished Pakistan’s bowling attack. While Pope got dismissed at 108, Brook remained unbeaten at 101 alongside captain Stokes (34 not out) as the tourists managed to post a massive score of 506/4 at the stumps.
Cricket fans just couldn’t believe what happened, as it was complete mayhem for bowlers. The fans stormed with eye-catching memes taking a dig at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the pitch preparation. Many admirers recalled that similar pitches were made in the three-match series against Australia in March, which the hosts had lost by 1-0.
Here is how netizens reacted:
Surprised to se𓂃e that the PCB, whose team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice in one yea🍒r, still can’t prepare a Test match pitch. Three versus Australia, now this.
— Jamie Alter 🇮🇳 (@alter_jamie)
//twitter.com/_kezx/status/1598194828046520320
What’s another word for “friendly”💃 that would describe the pitch in Rawalpindi for this First Test? v
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22)
When you see the Rawalpindi pitch:
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu)
//twit✃ter.com/Avina✱shArya09/status/1598220194719346689
Great initiative by our govt, another Motorway in Rawalpindi,
No Drs zak Crawley— ⁱᴾⁱᵃⁿ ناچیز (@ShahSahb00)
This pitch looks fire🔥
— Pakistani Shaheens Brigade ꦑ(@ShaheensBrigade)
Test should have had a construction site report and not 🔴a pi♛tch report.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS)
England pre lunch 174-0 in 27 overs scoring at 6.44 RPO. Now 272-2 in 43 overs at 6.34 ꦿRPO. Is it the Baz approach? Or a flattest Rawalpi❀ndi pitch or pedestrian bowling with unimaginative field setting or combination of all? Let’s see how Pakistan will bounce back, if ever?
— Dr. Nauman Niaz (@DrNaumanNiaz)
👀 The pitch for Rawalpindi Test has surprised everyone once again and has brought back the memories of the dꦰrawn test match against Australia.
— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_)
Our Indian road contractors should learꦓn from the curator of the Rawalpindi pitch.
— Biswajit 📚 🖊️ 👓 (@biswa_1211)
Nice photo of the 🥂Rawalpindi ground staff preparing the pitch
— Alasdair 🇳🇦🇳🇿 (@Alasdair333)
At this point it seems easier to score a centurཧy on this pitch 🙈than getting out on a duck.
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan)
Pindi pitch to English batsmen
— 𝓢𝓮𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓱 🇵🇰 (@itsmeSehrish)
Respect for Indian spinning pitches increased after watching this rℱoad.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer)
//twitter.com/SameerJaIalTV/status/1598206🌼979641692167
Pakistan in the last t20 against England 138 in 20 overs Now England against Pakistan in test 141 in 20 overs Desperately needs a little shame
for pitch makers(on making national highway),Te📖am selecters(for♛ selecting 3 debutants in 1st test)& Team management(for No DRS )— Farwa Malik💫 (@Farwa1318)
Pakistan preparing pitches :
— Comedy Tonic Telugu (@ComedyTonic)
Green lush pitch in domestic and rough flat road pitch in intl
woww 🤷🤷🙄— Ñöör Hâféèz Åbbäsî (@noor_babarian56)
//twitter.com/Aeena_🌳khan/status/1598186713192751104
//twitter.com/azanahmad257/ཧstatus/1598195799472898048
Why can't we make pitches suiting our strengths? 3 road pitches against Australia and this against England. 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi)
Nothing just a picture of Rawalpindi pitch.
— Heisenberg (@rovvmut_)
