Pakistan Cricket Board hires Australian curator to improve pitches for WTC cycle

Australia’s Tony Hemming has been hired as a new head curator by the Pakistan Cricket Board on a two-year contract. Hemming will oversee the preparation of pitches for Pakistan’s upcoming home series against Bangladesh and England which are part of the World Test Championship Cycle. The Curator from Down Under will also oversee pitches for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Hemming will replace Zahid as head curator. The latter was chief curator from 2004 to 2020 and was reappointed in 2021 by former chairman Ramiz Raja. The former on the other hand has worked at various grounds in Australia including Melbourne, Perth, and Tasmania (Hobart). Hemming was also head curator in UAE from 2007-17 and oversaw making of the pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan are placed in the mid-table in the WTC table and will need to win home games if they need to have a chance to make it into the final. However, the pitches in Pakistan have been tilted in favour of batters which meant there have been too many draws in home conditions for The Men In Green.

Former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris was critical of pitches in the past, “With WTC, you must win your home games to have any chance of making it to the final. When you think of Pakistan cricket you think of stylish batsmen and fast bowlers with genuine pace. You might get some short-term success, but it won’t allow you to be a really good all round side. The difference is the fast bowlers and Pakistan has the depth.”

Former chairman Ramiz Raja too would be critical of the Rawalpindi pitch in 2022. He would come out and say “We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan.” Raja would further say “It’s embarrassing for us, especially if you have a cricketer as chairman.” I think our way out is for drop-in pitches,” he would suggest at the time.

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