64 years; 400 Tests and a very merry Pakistan cricketing story

At the moment, Pakistan cricket is going through a considerable amount of turmoil. Of course, there isn’t one thing that many can point their finger to, but, one can very well assume that it is a collective responsibility. The ICC, the PCB, a few players, a few former players, and perhaps a few external factors can probably account for the disastrous state of affairs in Pakistan cricket at the moment.

However, in recent times, the stature of Pakistan cricket seems to be improving. It is quite clear that the battle-hardened Proteas coach Mickey Arthur is leading the team into a renewal of their lost stature in recent times. Evidence of that can be found in their recent 2-2 draw in England, something not a lot of players have been able to manage.

After a brief stay atop the world rankings then came the small yet significant piece of history that came along. The 400th Test match against the West Indies as far as the current crop of Pakistan players would be concerned would be that they are not playing in front of their home crowd. However, in spite of this, they took to the field against yet another well-documented ‘Fallen Heroes’ of Pakistan cricket.

The fact that they played with the Pink Ball and under lights and won is itself an impressive and historical piece in the massive jigsaw that is Pakistan cricket. However, the fact of the matter remains that they have come a long way since their inception in 1952. Of course, the country may be in turmoil, yet, when it comes to the cricket field, there are only memories to think back on and smile.

That said, here are some of the most memorable things that have taken place in Pakistan cricket over the years.

Indians draw first blood in Delhi

While the dominions of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh were stitched together under the banner of the British Raj, most of the blokes had played cricket together either for the crown or for the Empire of India. However, in 1952, shortly after the India became a republic, the team under the Pakistan cricket banner made a quick trip to the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.

This happened to be the first Test as far as Pakistan was concerned, a match which they lost to the neighbors. Of the knocks, Hanif Mohammad, who would become a hero within the next decade went ahead and smashed a half-century. Even then, he boasted of an in-penetrable defense, something that has immortalized him.

Abdul Hafeez Kardar: The man with the dual allegiance

Abdul Kardar was very much a part of CK Nayudu’s side that played England in India’s first ever Test match against England at the Lord’s. Having shaken the Queen’s hand at the joyous occasion, Kardar was handed the reins of Pakistan’s captaincy for their first ever Test match at Delhi. However, this turned out to be a dubious honor of sorts as he went ahead and lost his first match as skipper.

Nazar Mohammad reaches the magical three figures

Nazar Mohammad and the University Ground in Lucknow will be immortalized in the history books as far as Pakistan is concerned. While Lucknow is indeed a wonderful place filled with the tranquility of an emperor, Nazar Mohammad was the first Pakistani centurion for Pakistan. This also happened to be only Pakistan’s second Test in their history, a match they won in enemy territory. Although the Indians were missing a few players including Vinoo Mankad, it was clear that Pakistan had bounced back.

It is Hanif Mohammad all the way

Hanif Mohammad is a player who is remembered in the doldrums of Pakistan cricket. Against the West Indies at Bridgetown, Gerry Alexander looked as though he wanted to blast out the Pakistanis in the second innings after making them follow-on. With the likes of Clyde Walcott, Garfield Sobers, and Rohan Kanhai in the side, the Windies were on the verge of becoming a world beater.

However, the second innings saw Hanif Mohammad wade through the terrifying West Indies pace attack. His defense was so spectacular that absolutely nothing went through. When I mean nothing, it was nothing. He batted for 970 minutes whilst smashing 337 runs, thereby becoming Pakistan’s first ever triple centurion.

The doldrums of the MCG

Fazal Mohammad’s performance against the Indians in the same encounter where he smashed 124 was enough to persuade the stuffed shirts in the MCC to grant Pakistan Test match status. He picked 5 wickets in the first innings and 7 in the second as they went ahead and claimed a win on the morning of the fourth day’s play.

Inthikab Alam spins the Kiwis out of the dust

At the time, Inthikab Alam was considered the best spinner in the world. At a time when conditions did not matter whilst playing, it seemed quite clear that Inthikab was right up there when it came to deceiving batsmen. He picked in excess of 20 wickets in the series as Pakistan routed New Zealand 3-0 including 11 wickets at Karachi. Imtiaz Ahmed became the first wicketkeeper to hit a double-century in Tests in Lahore as Pakistan’s final four wickets added a whopping 450 runs.

Mushtaq Mohammad serenades the 1973 era of Dunedin

Pakistan’s first overseas win came against New Zealand in the second Test in Dunedin. In a match that entertained all those present saw Mushtaq Mohammad smash 201 in what turned out to be an epic knock in the first innings. What’s more, he picked 7 wickets in the match including 5 wickets in the second innings, something that helped Pakistan achieve their first Test win down-under.

Imran Khan stamps his authority down under

In 1992, 39-year-old Pakistani skipper Imran Khan went ahead and guided the Pakistan side to victory in the World Cup down under. What’s more impressive is the fact that they had lost their first few matches, made a comeback of sorts and made it to the finals of the tournament against England. Wasim Akram’s whirlwind of a spell meant that they were victorious in the tournament.

Cricket always plays the part of goodwill even in political conflicts

The backdrop of 1999 saw political tensions between India and Pakistan especially with the escalation of the Kargil conflict. However, in spite of this, both India and Pakistan took to the field at Old Trafford in Manchester to play their 50-over match in the 1999 edition of the World Cup. Pakistan lost the match but, it was clear that Cricket was an ambassador of goodwill.