Pak vs Eng: Rawalpindi pitch in focus ahead of series decider

RAWALPINDI: The pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has come under spotlight as Pakistan are set to lock horns with England in the series decider in the third Test set to begin on Thursday (tomorrow).

The pitch's scrutiny comes after the hosts' gamble using the same pitch for a second game running paid off in Multan, as they pulled off a 152-run series-levelling win last week to level the three-match series 1-1.

The Shan Masood-led side, in the second Multan Test, was helped to all 20 England wickets by left-arm spinner Noman Ali and right-armer Sajid Khan as England crumbled to 144 all out chasing a tough 297-run target.

Inspired by their success in Multan, Pakistan were deploying windbreaks, industrial-sized fans, and patio heaters to parch the strip — hoping to win their first series since beating South Africa in 2021.

England head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes inspected the pitch at length ahead of the team's practice on Tuesday.

"Everybody goes and looks at the wicket and everybody says something different," England batter Harry Brook told reporters.

"Hopefully it's like any other Pakistani pitch and it's good to bat on for the first few days and then hopefully we get some turn out on it at the back end of the game," he remarked.

Considering the prospect of a spin battle, the visitors have included leg-break bowler Rehan Ahmed as a third spinner, to supplement Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.

Fast bowler Gus Atkinson also comes in with the pace duo of Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse left out.

Pakistan are likely to keep the same second Test combination of three spinners with just one seamer.

"We are trying to have the same kind of pitch that can favour us as we want to win the match," said left-handed batter Saud Shakeel.

The win in Multan was Pakistan's first in 11 home Tests and came after England won the first, also in Multan, by an innings and 47 runs