Australia’s Steve Smith said Saturday that close catching is a “real challenge” on low-bounce pitches after he dropped a crucial catch in the second Test drawn with Pakistan in Karachi.
The 32-year-old is considered one of the safest pair of hands in the game with 137 catches in 84 Tests, and his drop off Abdullah Shafique’s bat on the fourth day of the Test became a major talking point. Pakistani opener Shafique went on to score 96 to supplement skipper Babar Azam in a stand of 228 for the third wicket.
Azam racked up a match-saving 196 while Mohammad Rizwan hit 104 not out as Pakistan batted all but 26 minutes on the last two days to score 443-7 in 171.4 overs to ensure a draw.
That left the three-match series tied at 0-0 with the third and final Test starting in Lahore on Monday. The first Test in Rawalpindi also ended in a draw. Smith said low-bounce pitches made catching tougher. “It’s been a real challenge,” Smith said.—APP
