Bazid Khan, a former Pakistan batter, has alleged that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is treating Pakistan and India differently while preparing pitches for Test tours. His words came after Pakistan were routed in the first two Tests of the three-match series in Leeds and at Lord’s.

He feels that the ECB and all other cricket boards nurture flat tracks for five-day matches against India but purposely design tracks for three-day cricket while facing Pakistan.

Bazid provided no evidence for his theory, just stating that boards do it to maximize value from a tour to India, which attracts the largest audience base. His comments came after Pakistan lost its first two Tests against England, the first in three days and the second in four.

“When India goes to England, every Test match goes into the fifth day. Why? Because if it finishes in three days, it’s a financial loss. So, they made the pitches in such a way that, whatever happens, it lasts five days. It feels like every match ends in three days, but when India goes, it lasts five days. So it’s not like the nature of the pitches has changed [over the years], but they are making them like that,” Bazid Khan said on a Pakistani TV show.

“They make better pitches—the hosts, wherever India goes. Because India has to generate full value; if their match gets over in three days, they suffer a loss. And wherever India goes, it’s a money-making tour for everyone. So, in that, if you’ve got fifteen days of cricket scheduled and only twelve days of cricket actually happen in total, then that’s a loss for them. It’s fifteen days of cricket—they want to make it happen for fourteen or fifteen days," he added.  

Pakistan sacked seven players after the Lord’s Test loss and flew in seven replacements for the third and final Test at Edgbaston from September 9. Pakistan also sacked Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, with Mike Hesson taking over coaching duties in the interim.