Pak vs Aus: Pindi Stadium's pitch likely to favour spinners

• Barren-looking pitch may suit pacers for first two hours.
• Experts say a good hostile spell by a pacer could be fruitful, but spinners will be having decisive say.
• Aussie skipper Cummins says they would probably go into Test with three pacers or two spinners.

RAWALPINDI: The pitch prepared at Pindi Stadium for the first Test of much-awaited Pakistan's home series against Australia is likely to favour the spinners on the series opening today (Friday), The News reported citing experts.

The barren-looking pitch is no different from traditional Pakistan tracks with the only exception that it may suit the pacers for the first two hours.

The experts said that the pitch could take a spin towards the tea interval and give fast bowlers some assistance early in the day.

"The pitch has all the ingredients to take spin even on the opening day,” one of them said.

“In all likelihood spinners would be calling shots here. A good hostile spell by a pacer could be fruitful, but the spinners will be having the decisive say," he responded upon being asked whether a spinner would get to play a decisive role on the track.

However, Australia’s first Test in Pakistan in 24 years is still threatened by rain, but even storm clouds failed to dampen the mood of rival captains Pat Cummins and Babar Azam on the eve of the match.

Rain forced both teams to cancel their practice sessions Thursday, but the forecast is clear for Friday and most of Saturday, with showers likely on the last three days of play.

Despite the weather, Cummins and Azam were geared up for the historic Test — being played in front of a sell-out 16,000 crowd in Rawalpindi, the garrison city just south of the capital, Islamabad.

Australia haven’t toured Pakistan since 1998 as security issues kept international teams from visiting, and as a result, are unfamiliar with the local pitches.

‘Looks a good wicket’

“It looks like a good wicket [...] as expected,” Cummins told reporters ahead of the match.

He said Australia would probably go into the Test with three quick bowlers or two spinners.

“We just want to have another look at the wicket,” he said.

“It’s a loss for the Pakistan side, but there’s always another guy that can step up,” Cummins said.

No more Covid-19 fears for Pakistan camp

The clouds of fear are finally over as all the three immediate contacts of Haris Rauf were repeatedly tested negative for Covid-19 resulting in a sigh of relief for the Pakistan camp.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique and Malang Ali (support staff) were three immediate contacts of Haris. However, repeated tests conducted on all three during the last four days turned negative.

“That is good news for Pakistan cricket as there were fears that someone might get contracted. The PCB traced Haris’s immediate contacts and following repeated tests all three turned negative,” a source told ‘The News’.

Haris and now Australian spin bowling consultant Fawad Ahmad got infected with Covid-19 during PSL victory celebrations. —

With input from agencies.