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 (https://dawn.com/)