Shah Urges CEO and Team Management to Rethink Pitch Strategy for Home Advantage
Pakistan’s ongoing struggle to win Test matches at home has prompted fast bowler Naseem Shah to call for a reconsideration of the team’s pitch strategy. In the recent drawn Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Naseem expressed his frustrations with yet another placid pitch that failed to provide the home side with any significant advantage.
Naseem, who is making a comeback after a long-term injury, lamented the lack of assistance from the pitch, despite the groundstaff’s best efforts to prepare a surface conducive to bowling. The 565-run innings by Bangladesh’s lower-middle order effectively dashed Pakistan’s hopes of securing a first home Test victory since 2021.
“We need to be honest. It’s been too many series where we get these types of pitches,” Naseem said. “The groundstaff tried their best to make this pitch good for bowling, but perhaps because of the heat and sunshine, there isn’t much help from the pitch. We need to think about how to extract home advantage, because you have to find a way to produce results from these games, otherwise you’re not utilising home advantage.”
Naseem urged Pakistan’s leadership, including the team management and decision-makers, to reconsider their approach to preparing pitches that can help the home team secure a stronger advantage in Test cricket. In the past, Pakistan’s home conditions were considered the liveliest in South Asia for Test-match fast bowling, as evident during South Africa’s tour in 2020-21. However, the recent trend of flat pitches has forced Naseem and the team to rethink their strategy.
