Mohammad Hafeez criticises 'slow' Manuka Oval surface

Pakistan’s cricket director, Mohammad Hafeez, recently came forward to criticise the surface that was in play for the warm-up game between Pakistan and the Prime Minister’s XI ahead of the Test series against Australia.

However, ahead of the first Test, Hafeez was evidently not a fan of the pitch that was set up in Canberra for the warm-up game stating that the entire team was excited for the challenge but was disappointed with the arrangements that were put in place.

"That was the slowest pitch a visiting team could ever play on in Australia. As a team, we are really happy with our preparations because we ticked most of the boxes,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. 

"Everyone knew [the pitch wasn't what we wanted], so there was no point of saying it again and again and raising the issue with Cricket Australia. The disappointment was really high because we weren't expecting these kinds of arrangements. Maybe it's tactical, but we're ready for it. We're not using it as an excuse; we're absolutely ready for the challenges coming up,” he added.

For me, seeing Shan become captain is no surprise: Hafeez

Despite several things holding them back, from the pitch to the weather, there were many positives to take from the warm-up game as well. He lauded the performance of Shan Masood, scoring an unbeaten 201 runs in the first innings, and fulfilling his abilities as the skipper. Hafeez was impressed.

"For me, seeing Shan become captain is no surprise; he was always ready for this role, and when you get this sort of opportunity, it shines. He's a superb player, and as a leader, he's got a great rapport with the players and a great relationship with the whole team. His experience as a captain and what he's learned over the years—especially the couple of years he's played county cricket—have all seen his management skills come to the fore even more. What's important is that this is a confident unit that's here, and Shan is playing his role very well,” he added.

It is worth noting that after the conclusion of the warm-up game, Pakistan will finally kick off their three-game Test series against the Aussies. The first test will be played at the Optus Stadium in Perth on December 14. After their below-par showings in the ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan will hope for a good start to the brand new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC).