“Test Cricket in pain”: Mohammad Hafeez laments over Karachi pitch for Pakistan vs Australia 2nd Test match

Mohammad Hafeez laments over Karachi pitch condition during the ongoing second Test match between Pakistan and Australia.

The second Test match of the ongoing Australia’s tour of Pakistan witnessed yet another run-fest on a batting paradise at the National Stadium in Karachi, as the Aussie batters dominated the proceedings by Stumps on Day 1.

Post winning the Toss, Pat Cummins elected to bat first as both his openers-Usman Khawaja (127*) and David Warner (36) provided an excellent start yet again before Warner was dismissed with the scoreboard reading 82 after mere 18 Overs.

After Marnus Labuschagne then became the victim of an unfortunate run-out for a Duck, it was all about Khawaja, who smashed a sublime, emotional century at his country of birth, and Steve Smith (72), as the duo combined together to stitch a 159-run stand for the 3rd wicket to push Pakistani bowlers on the back foot, with them even at a point resorting to a defensive line of attack to keep the run flow in check.

A moment of brilliance in the field by Faheem Ashraf during the final few minutes of day’s play did make them see Steve Smith’s back, but not before Australia had already posted 251/3 after their 90 Overs in the day.

Mohammad Hafeez laments over Karachi pitch

Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Hafeez, who had remarked the Rawalpindi pitch during the first Test match of the series as ‘slow and dead’, yet again took to his social media handle to echo similar sentiments, as batters continued to pile up runs, albeit at a different venue.

Hafeez had, post Pakistan’s first innings total of 476/4 d during the first Test, criticized the pitch at the Pindi Cricket stadium for doing a huge disservice to the historic occasion in which the Test was being played.

With the first Test match witnessing both teams scoring a combined 1,175 runs across three innings, the pitch was declared “below average” by the ICC.