Pakistan Vs England Test match classics part two

Following on from part one of our look into the archives this week, we bring you part two, 2001 – 2010. Dubai 2012 will now surely feature for Pakistan fans after their team destroyed England inside three days this afternoon, but that will have to wait for another time!

Mohammad Yousuf has rather a good tour of England in 2006

Manchester 2001

After being blown away by Darren Gough and Andy Caddick in cold and overcast conditions at Lord’s, Pakistan fought back to a winning position in Manchester by setting England 373 to win in order to square the two Test series. The match looked like heading for a draw when the final session on Day Five started as England had eight wickets in hand and only two hours to negotiate.

However, as has happened so many times in the past, Pakistan came back once Waqar removed the in form Graham Thorpe at the start of final session. This wicket opened the gates for Pakistan and Wasim and Saqlain ripped through the English middle and lower order.

Pakistan registered a famous win at Old Trafford. Pakistanis were also fortunate as the umpires failed to spot at least three no balls that resulted in English wickets!

Multan 2005

England arrived in Pakistan after winning their first Ashes series for 18 years against a strong Australian side. Pakistan, on the other hand, had a pretty mediocre run up to that series and England looked as a tough proposition for Pakistan. The first four days of the Multan Test went England’s way (as predicted) though it all changed on the last day.

Set 198 to win on a flat Multan pitch, England lost their last nine wickets for only 109 runs as an inspired Shoaib Akhtar, in tandem with Danish Kaneria, ripped through England’s batting order to help Pakistan register a famous 22 run win. The defeat demoralized the visitors who went on to lose the series 2-0.

Headingly 2006

When Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan had put on 363 runs for the fourth wicket, it seemed that the Test was about to end in a high scoring stalemate, but a lower order collapse in the first innings by Pakistan followed by a bigger collapse in the second innings allowed England to win the test match after Pakistan had scored 558 in their first innings. The chief destroyers for England were Steve Harmison, Monty Pannesar and surprisingly Sajid Mahmood who combined together to take nine out of 10 second innings wickets as England won the test by 167 runs and led the series series 2-0 .

Oval 2010

When England comprehensively won the first two Tests against Pakistan, a 4-0 win for the home side was on the cards especially after the Pakistan batting line up was bowled out twice for under a hundred.

However, a dream debut for Wahab Riaz, who picked up five wickets on debut, and a crucial 91 from Azhar Ali allowed the tourists to take a first innings lead. But the twist in the tale came in the second innings when Mohammad Amir, ably supported by Saeed Ajmal, destroyed England’s batting in a bizarre collapse to set up a victory target of 148 for Pakistan’s first Test win of the series.

Though the Pakistani batting made a mess of the small total, losing six wickets in the chase, youngsters Umar Akmal and Amir eventually led the tourists to an historic four wicket win.

By Omer Ayaz