Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is drawing flak from the cricketing world over the state of Rawalpindi pitch for the first Test between England and Pakistan.

The Rawalpindi Test has so far been run fest for both sides. Batting first, the visitors racked up a mammoth 657/10 with their four batters – Harry Brook (153), Zak Crawley (122), Ben Duckett (107) and Ollie Pope (108) – smashing centuries.

In reply, the hosts were 499/7 at stumps on Day 3 with Abdullah Shafique (114), Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Babar Azam (136) also slamming hundreds.

After the third day’s play, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja was asked about the pitch criticism but he snapped at the journalist who quoted Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in one of his questions.

One of the journalists asked, “In such cases what type of pitches we have had because Babar had said that we have a golden chance here?”

The journalist also reminded Ramiz of Babar's pre-match press conference, where the Pakistan captain quoted: “We are excited about that prospect of playing the WTC final. This is an important series for that. We have a golden chance to achieve that if we win four of the five Tests to come [three against England followed by two against New Zealand].”

However, the question left Ramiz furious as he replied to the journalist, saying: “Phir wohi baat kar rahe hain, aap khel le phir (Again you are saying the same thing…you go and play then).”

After the second day’s play, the PCB chief himself expressed his disappointment over the pitch, admitting that it was “not a great advert" for Test cricket.

“We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan," Ramiz told reporters, adding, “it’s embarrassing for us, especially if you have a cricketer as chairman."