Former Pakistan batter Bazid Khan has dragged the Indian cricket team amidst his own side’s poor show in England. The 45-year-old said India were given flat wickets by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), allowing the contest to last for five days and avoid financial loss.
Speaking to PTV Sports, the former batter said, “Whenever India tour England, every game goes into the fifth day. Why? Because if the game ends inside three days, there will be financial losses. So they prepare wickets that last for five days. The pitches didn’t change, but they curate them like that.”
🚨 BAZID KHAN WITH A HUGE STATEMENT.🤯 (PTV Sports)
He said- “England makes flat pitches for India but tough ones for other teams. All because of the commercial aspect.”#ENGvPAKpic.twitter.com/GzrCORZcv2
— Rana Ahmad. (@AhmadRana056) September 7, 2026
“Every host nation comes up with better tracks wherever India goes because they want to generate maximum revenue. If a game ends early, then there are financial losses. When India tour, there is a chance to make more money,” Khan added.
Pakistan’s batting incompetence blamed on pitch and India
The statement made by Bazid Khan is bizarre, considering how their batters have performed on the current tour of England. In the four innings so far, Pakistan haven’t been able to touch 200 even once.
Saud Shakeel with 132 runs is the leading run-getter for Pakistan in the series. Even Harry Brook has posted just 140 runs, while skipper Joe Root has managed 94 runs. The overcast weather in England has helped the seamers.
In 2025, when the Indian side toured England for a five-match series, the extended period of summer made the wickets flat. In the Oval Test match, the visiting side led by Shubman Gill batted for nearly 70 overs in conditions where the ball was seaming and swinging.
Ollie Robinson didn’t play the contest, but the hosts had Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson in their playing XI, the same attack that is competing against Pakistan in the ongoing series. India batted 88 overs in the second innings, and the game went to a fifth day, with the visitors winning by six runs, thanks to Mohammed Siraj’s fifer.
There is no merit in blaming the ECB for making good batting wickets to suit India for financial games. Team India went to England without three senior-most players who retired within a span of six months. With the exception of 3-4 players, none of the other members had the experience of playing in English conditions, but they exhibited better skills and temperament than the current Pakistan unit.