‘Taareef bhi maang ke logey Sethi Saab?’ - Fans slam Najam Sethi as he claims 'sporting pitch' was provided for 2nd Test match vs NZ

On 6 January 2023, Pakistan’s two-match Test series at home ended in a 0-0 draw. After a draw in the series opener, the second match in Karachi also ended in a draw. After losing the home Test series against England 3-0, it was a great opportunity for Babar Azam and Co. But, they failed to win it. 

In 2022, they failed to win any of their seven home Test matches (four losses, three draws). After the England series, PCB sacked Ramiz Raja from the Chairman’s post. Then, they appointed Najam Sethi as the new Chairman of the Cricket Board. So, all eyes of the fans were on him before this series.

Fans were not happy with Najam Sethi over his recent viral tweet

On 24 December 2022, Najam Sethi announced that Shahid Afridi will be the interim chief selector of the men's team. Former cricketers Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum are also part of the panel, while Haroon Rashid will manage the convener role. Afridi also did a decent job as the Men in Green took the bold decision of dropping Mohammad Rizwan for veteran Sarfaraz Ahmed. Sarafarz proved them right by scoring 335 runs in four innings, at an average of 8375. But, as both the matches ended in a draw, the condition of the pitches made headlines once again. 

During the England series, the Rawalpindi pitch also made headlines. The pitch also received demerit points from the Governing Boady of Cricket. Now, on 7 January, Najam Sethi shared a tweet where he claimed that cricket lovers should approve their hectic efforts to make a sporting pitch for the second Test match in Karachi. He wrote: “Hope cricket lovers approve of our hectic efforts to make a sporting pitch for the second Test match in Karachi! What a great game it turned out to be!” Reacting to that, fans came out and slammed him. They even said that it was the performance of both teams that made the match interesting rather than the pitch. Pakistan had a batting collapse and somehow managed to survive the day with one wicket in hand.

Here is the shared tweet:

Hope cricket lovers approve of our hectic efforts to make a sporting pitch for the second Test match in Karachi! What a great game it turned out to be!

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) January 7, 2023

Here is how fans have reacted to the viral tweet of Najam Sethi:

Sporting pitch? LoL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Motorway for batsman.....

No one interested in watching this kind of boring pathetic cricket

— Yawar Azam (@AzamYawar) January 7, 2023

Supporting pitch? What the hell

If it were not of NZ declaration at 277-5 there was no possible result. Pitch was again a flat road.

— lost soul! (@lostsoul__07) January 7, 2023

Yeh wala nasha krna ha

— Sarmad Sohail (@Sabsohails) January 7, 2023

Draw. So funny 😁

— ADNAN RAHMAN (@AdnanRahmanACA) January 7, 2023

That was no way sporting pitch..NZ brave declaration made match more interesting.

— Kri (@KrishK74) January 7, 2023

Buddhe ab Ghar mei Beth kisi young ko chance dei Dea..

— Omar Faissel Mir (@FaisselMir) January 7, 2023

@najamsethi sir app ne tu kamal kr dia 7 days mein. Or kia heavy role ka use kia think u was urself on the pitch

— muhammad nazam (@javee786) January 7, 2023

Taareef bhi maang ke logey Sethi Saab? That said, great game.

— The Devil (@Numberr_17) January 7, 2023