KARACHI, 29 January 2006 — After being severely criticized for preparing dull, lifeless wickets for the first two Tests between India and Pakistan at Lahore and Faisalabad, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has promised ‘livelier’ strip for the third and final Test, which begins here today.

The chief curator of PCB, Agha Zahid, has come in for some scathing criticism by former cricketers as well as the print and electronic media in the country and outside, including the Indian press.

In the last two Tests as many as 2,791 runs were scored and only 36 wickets fell during ten days of cricket.

“It was disheartening to watch class bowlers being plundered like novices,” observed Pakistan’s former fast bowler during a television interview on Thursday. Former England and Yorkshire captain Geoffrey Boycott was equally frustrated. “The decision of making flat tracks was a defensive one. The cricket management was afraid to lose at home,” Boycott said while commenting during the Faisalabad Test on a local TV channel.

After a spate of criticism PCB blamed weather in Lahore and Faisalabad for the un-responsive wickets. “Regrettably due to weather conditions, the pitches became low and slow tilting the balance heavily in favor of batsmen, said a statement issued by the PCB from Lahore.

The statement hoped that “the Karachi wicket, where the sun shines frequently will be livelier and will turn-out to be result-oriented.”

However, while putting the blame on weather conditions, the PCB forgot the sun was shining brightly during the five days of second Test in Faisalabad.

There was a reasonably good layer of green grass over the strip at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday evening. What will be its shape on the morning of the day today is to be seen.

Karachi wickets have a history of helping seamers and fast bowlers. All top Pakistan fast bowlers, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Sarfraz Nawaz and Waqar Younus have always done well here. If the wicket here behaves the same way in the final Test the India would start with an edge with three very effective seamers in Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan and the newcomer, Rudra Partap Singh.

On the other hand, Pakistan appear to be handicapped with their spearhead. Shoaib Akhtar reportedly having knee problem and Mohammed Sami still struggling for form, Pakistan will have to mainly depend on Rana Naveed ul-Hasan and young fast bowler Mohammad Asif.

But the home team’s major worry would be in the batting department where skipper Inzamam ul-Huq is still to be officially declared fit after he sprained his back during the Faisalabad Test and did not field during the entire Indian first innings. All-rounder Shoaib Malik is mourning his father’s death and is already ruled out. In that eventuality Kamran Akmal would be asked to open the innings but Pakistan will have to find a replacement for Inzamam. Imran Farhat, who was ignored not only during the home series against England in November-December 2005 but has also failed to find a place in the team against India may well finally make it to the playing line-up on Sunday. In that case Pakistan may prefer to use him as an opener and Akmal may bat down the order at No. 6.