India-Pakistan Test series recap (25 January 1999)

25 January 1999

India-Pakistan Test series recap

By Mohammad Shoaib Ahmed

A Pakistan-India series always stir deep emotions among the sub-continent's cricket followers. The involvement of the fans is such that its elevates the status of an otherwise average Test series to the level of the Third World's Ashes. Victory or defeat in the series has always been interpreted as a matter of national honour and even tends to treat it as such.

Pakistan's cricket team has gone to India after a break of 12 years. Their last visit was in the 1986-87 season. Since then Pakistan and India have met in various one-day cricket competitions all over the world. Jam packed stands, a super charged atmosphere, high stakes of personal and national pride may be overdoing things but they do result in a well-contested sporting event. The inaugural series between these two traditional rivals was played in India (1952-53). The Captains were L. Amarnath (India) and A H Kardar (Pakistan). This country, just five years old had a traumatic baptism in their first entry in the Test arena, as India scored a crushing victory in the first Test at Feroze Shah Kotla ground (Delhi). The destroyer Vinoo Mankhad, 8 for 52 in first innings, match aggregate; 13 for 131 - both series records to this day. The date was October 16-18, 1952. India 372 (Hazare 76 - Hemu Adhikari 81*, and Ghulam Ahmed 50 in a record 109 run stand for the 10th wicket) defeated Pakistan 150 (Hanif Mohammad 51) and, in the follow-on, 152 (A H Kardar 43*) by an innings and 70 runs.

Pakistan, however, had immediate revenge in the next Test, played on matting at Lucknow. Fazal Mahmood, master of the mat 'did a Mankad'. His 7 for 42 in the second innings and match aggregate of 12 for 94 remain to this day Pakistani series records against India. In reply to India's 106 (still a record for the lowest score in an Indo-Pak Test), Fazal taking 5 for 52, opener Pankaj Roy top scoring with 30, Pakistan piled up 331, opener Nazar Mohammad having a triple personal triumph he carried his bat for 124 not out, thus scoring Pakistan's first-ever century in Test annals, and remained on the field of play throughout the match. In the second innings, India were 'Fazalled' again for 182, Skipper Lala Amarnath top scoring with a masterly 61 not out to no avail. India lost by an innings and 43 runs. Honours even.

India wrested the initiative in the thirst Test at Brabourne Stadium, Bombay to go 2-1 up in the series and to remain at this static position for the next 13 Tests until the Lahore Test of 1978 a hiatus of 26 years! In this historic Test match, Vinoo Mankad, took his 100th wicket and completed the then fastest 'double' of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in only 23 Tests. Pakistan 186 (Waqar Hasan 81) and 242 (Hanif Mohammad 96, Waqar Hasan 65; Vinoo Mankad 5-72). India 387 for 4 declared (Vijay Hazare 146*, Polly Umrigar 102) and 45 for no loss. India won by 10 wickets.

The rain ruined fourth Test at Madras, in which the two sides could play only one innings (Pakistan 344) and India (175 for 6), was notable for just one achievement: a 104 run stand for the 10th wicket between Zulfiqar Ahmed and Amir Elahi.

The fifth Test at Calcutta saw Pakistan, sent in to bat by Lala Amarnath, compile 257 (Phadkar 5 for 72) and, in reply, India made 397, with Deepak Shodhan registering a century on Test debut. This innings was remarkable because all eleven batsmen reached double figures. Pakistan, trailing by 140, made 236 for 7 declared (Waqar Hasan 97) and India played out time by adding 28 for no loss the second time round.

In between more series were played between the two countries during 1954-55 in Pakistan, 1960-61 in India, 1978-79 in Pakistan, 1979-80 in India, 1982-83 in Pakistan, 1983-84 in India, 1984-85 in Pakistan, 1986-87 in India and 1989-90 in Pakistan.

Source :: Dawn (http://dawn.com/)

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