Pakistan vs England Test match classics part one

Pakistan became the first team to win a Test on their debut tour of England when a Fazal Mahmood inspired Pakistan secured a famous victory at the Oval in 1955. However, the next 27 years saw England dominate as they proved to be a much tougher side for Pakistan to beat both home and away.

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis proved too hot to handle for England more than once.

Since 1982, Pakistan’s fortunes have changed, and it all started when Imran Khan led Pakistan to a famous win at Lords in 1982. Though Pakistan narrowly lost that series, it gave birth to a new cricketing rivalry. Over the years, England Vs Pakistan Tests have been excellent, competitive and marred by controversial events. Here we have a two part a look at some of the famous matches between the two sides.

We start with those fixtures between 1992 and 2000.

Lord’s 1992

Pakistan arrived in England after winning the World Cup in Australia. They won the final by beating England at Melbourne and many considered it a revenge series for England after their third World Cup final defeat.

Though they comprehensively won the ODI leg of the tour, it was the thrilling Test series and the two “W’s” who created all the headlines. And it wasn’t surprising that the two “W’s” played a major role at lords by picking up 13 wickets between them, but it was their batting that won the game for Pakistan.

Set 138 to win on a good Lords pitch, Pakistan collapsed to 95 for eight when Waqar Younis joined his old friend/enemy Wasim Akram in the middle. Earlier, an inspired Chris Lewis had removed three of Pakistan’s top order batsman for ducks and the game looked up for the visitors.

However, a thrilling 10th wicket partnership of 46 valuable runs between Wasim and Waqar enabled the visitors to win the game just before close of play on Day Four. The Test also brought an end to one of England’s greatest allrounders, Ian Botham, who was undone in both innings by Waqar’s inswinging Yorker.

Lord’s 1996

The match looked like heading for a dull draw when Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart negotiated the fiery Pakistani bowling in the first session of Day Five. Set an almost impossible target of 408 by Pakistan, England lost opener Nick Knight early in the innings but both Atherton and Stewart looked like saving the game for their country as they played out two sessions.

However, the scenario changed quickly after lunch when Mushtaq Ahmed removed both batsman and Waqar Younis polished off the middle order and tail with his typical reverse swing. So dramatic was England’s collapse that the match had ended by tea on Day Five, giving Pakistan an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three Test rubber which they eventually won 2-0.

Karachi 2000

When Nasser Hussain’s England arrived in Pakistan for their first tour of the country in 13 years, no one gave them a chance of winning a Test, let alone the series. Negative tactics and dull pitches allowed England to enter Karachi for the decider with series locked at nil all.

It looked certain on Day Four that the match and series was about to end all square, but poor batting by Pakistan and inspired bowling from England brought the series alive, as Pakistan collapsed to 158 in their second innings.

Still, with fading light and not enough time on England’s side, the game looked set for a draw, but Graham Thorpe had other ideas as he, helped by Graeme Hick and Hussain, led England to one of their finest series wins in the subcontinent as they won in near darkness in Karachi. This was Pakistan’s first defeat at National stadium Karachi in 35 Tests.

By Omer Ayaz