With Yasir Shah calling the shots at Lord’s and propelling his side to a famous win at Lord’s, the tourists are brimming with confidence leading up to the remainder of the series. Very few gave Pakistan a chance and the manner in which they bamboozled the English batsmen came as a huge surprise to the partisan crowd at the home of cricket.
But history has a different story to tell. Unbeknown to fans, there have been several instances of bowling bravado from the Pakistani stalwarts of the yesteryears when on tour in England.
Here, we take a look at five instances in Test match cricket where Pakistani bowlers stunned their English hosts with their famed pace and guile.
#5 Waqar Younis: 5/91 at Lord’s in June 1992
A stress fracture had kept Waqar Younis out of the 1992 World Cup in Australia. In the first Test at Edgbaston, he bowled gingerly while seemingly indicating that he was still healing. So it wasn’t surprising when Wasim Akram and Aaquib Javed opened the bowling at Lord’s in the second Test.
But Waqar, bowling first change, looked brisk from the word go. Shouldering the bulk of bowling responsibility, he sent down 21 overs – the most in the innings – and finished with 5/91. The fast-bowler accounted for the top order while allowing Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed to clean up the English tail.
Bowling the hosts out for 255 set Pakistan up for a thrilling run chase. His fine effort with the ball notwithstanding, Waqar returned with the bat in the second essay to team up with Wasim to close out the game for the tourists.
#4 Mudassar Nazar: 6/32 at Lord’s in August 1982
While Muddassar Nazar was predominantly a top-order batsman, batsmen couldn’t rest when facing his lively medium-paced out swingers. At Lord’s on Pakistan’s 1982 tour, Nazar’s opening partner Mohsin Khan became the first Asian to score a double-hundred at the home of cricket. Faced with a huge first innings score of 428 and troubled by Abdul Qadir in their first essay, England were forced to follow-on.
Muddassar Nazar took charge thereafter. Bowling under significant cloud-cover, Nazar extracted heavy movement to break through the English top order. Accomplished batsmen in David Gower, Mike Gatting and Ian Botham, all fell to Nazar’s right-arm swingers.
The Lahore all-rounder’s 6/32 left Pakistan with just 76 to get and set them firmly on course for a well-earned 10 wicket win.
#3 Wasim Akram: 6/67 at the Kennington Oval, London in August 1992
The fifth Test at the Oval on Pakistan’s tour of England in 1992 was perfectly set up with the series tied at 1-1. The reigning limited overs world champions had won the Lord’s Test while England had leveled the series at Leeds.
Gooch won the toss and in near perfect batting conditions. Soon, England were well-placed at138/3 with Mike Atherton holding fort. A strong first innings score held the key to the game and the series. With the experienced David Gower in next, England looked in control. Enter Akram and England folded from a healthy 138/3 to being bowled out for 207. And Wasim Akram, as he so often did, cleaned up the English middle-order and then the tail. While Derek Pringle, Neil Mallender and Devon Malcom had their furniture’s disturbed, Mark Ramprakash and Chris Lewis were trapped in front.
With sparkling figures of 6/67, Wasim Akram set the tone for rest of the game. Pakistan secured a 173 run first innings lead before Akram’s partner in crime - Waqar Younis – did the rest in the second essay to hand Pakistan a famous win.
#2 Imran Khan: 7/52 at Edgbaston in August 1982
On the 1982 tour to England, Pakistan’s skipper Imran Khan was at the peak of his powers. On a pitch that looked good for batting, Bob Willis had no hesitation in sending his batsmen in first. As expected, the hosts were off to a steady start and were 164/2 at tea. It was then that the collapse began.
Imran had David Gower caught behind for 74 and then opened up the lower middle-order. By the time Ian Greig fell for 14, the Pakistani legend had stunning figures of 7/52. Despite Imran’s heroics in the first innings, the tourists lost the Test by 113 runs. That said, Imran emerged as the shining star for Pakistan and set the tone for what would be another decade of remarkable leadership.
#1 Fazal Mahmood: 6/53 and 6/46 at the Kennington Oval in August 1954
Pakistan had made their Test debut against India in 1952 and a couple of years later were on their first tour to England. As expected, the four-match series was headed England’s way with the hosts having won the second match by a whopping innings and 129 runs.
Pakistan won the toss in the fourth Test at the Oval in London and elected to bat. After being bowled out for 133, things were looking rather bleak for the first time overseas tourists. It was then that the right-arm fast medium bowler Fazal put his hand up and took matters into his own hands.
Fazal broke through the English middle-order and finished with 6/53 while giving Pakistan a lead of 3 runs. That Pakistan collapsed again in the second innings for 164, did not help their cause. With a seeming gettable target of 168, the hosts were runaway favourites to clinch the series.
But Fazal had other ideas. Opening the bowling, he claimed his second six-for of the match to finish with incredible match figures of 12/99. The match was Pakistan’s greatest moment in their brief Test history at the time and was watched by record crowds.
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