PAKISTAN’S SENSATIONAL TEST SERIES- 13^th Aug.,1992-The Express

“Pakistan zindabad” chanted Pakistani supporters as they stormed the Kennington Oval in London on Sunday noon after Pakistan’s memorable victory against England which also gave them the series 2-1. The consistent chant reminded of those days of Qaide Azam Mohamedali Jinnah and nationalism that had crept up since the days of Pakistan’s inception.

It was at the same venue, the Oval, exactly 38 years back when Fazal Mahmood had given Pakistan their first ever win with a match haul of 12 wickets. Fazal had heralded what was to follow. England was then a major cricket force and boasted of Hutton, Compton, Bedser, Laker and such great names. Teams like Pakistan and India were not considered competent enough and subjected to only 3 test series.

The irony of time has turned the tide today and sadly the mighty have fallen. Today it is teams like West Indies and Pakistan who rout England in 3 days time.

What a sensational Pakistan-England series this was? It was level before the Oval test but eventually quality prevailed and Pakistan established their supremacy.

After the victory Javed Miandad emphatically praised his boys. Perhaps his predecessor Imran Khan’s forgetfulness at the World Cup final had made him conscious.

It was no smooth sailing for the redoubtable skipper. In the first instance Miandad had taken over from the charismatic Khan and was therefore not looked upon highly. However his boys knew very well their skipper who has been around international cricket scene for a long time and displayed immense talent both in accumulating runs as well as exuding competitive spirit. His motto was “Never say die.”

He is truly vocal. Always opining and advising, whether directed at his boys, opponents, umpires or virtually anyone in hearing distance. Others may frown at him but those who know him would give tremendous respect to his cricketing abilities.

Even the authentic Imran when in despair turned to him for advice. Remember the World Cup? Had it not been Miandad the likes of Inzamam and Moin would have stumbled.

After the World Cup triumph, Pakistan’s expectations for the series against England had been really high, and Miandad entrusted with a daunting task. The series turned out to be a stunner. All the five test matches were super.

The first test At Edgbaston was almost a washout but it did display the batting brilliance of Miandad, Salim Malik, Alec Stuart and Robin Smith. The second one was a thriller. England setting Pakistan the target of 138 were poised to win after reducing them to 95 for 8, but but it was Wasim and Waqar the batsmen who did the damage. It is a strange fact that what the two eventually achieved with the ball might have been in vain had they not come good with the bat on that Sunday afternoon at Lords.

Victory eluded Pakistan in the third Old Trafford test as they dropped too many catches. The Headingly wicket in the fourth test reacted in accordance with the weather and coupled with skipper Graham Gooch’s solid batting and Neil Mallender’s control of seam bowling, England overcame Pakistan. Thus it was one-one and the eventual outcome of the series depended on the Oval test which proved an out an out a Wasim and Waqar test, and earned Pakistan the covetous series.

The victory no doubt asserts Miandad’s authority further, but the anguish of the past couple of months that he had to go through was unbearable.

At first the Botham-Miandad fracas was blown no end. Then followed the ugly events of Old Trafford test when Aqib Javed showed dissent to umpire Roy Parmer, and later at Headingly the Gooch run out ruled not out by Ken Palmer stirred up emotions further. Also all those reprimands and fines imposed on the players did no good to the morale of the team.Miandad controlled himself and even the international refree, Clyde Wolcott, appreciated his mannerism amidst adversity at Headingly.

Rightly Arif Abbasi, the Treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan has declared a bonus for Pakistan cricketers for the alleged hardship they had suffered at the hands of the British tabloids.

The England Team Manager, Micky Stewart, added fuel after Pakistan’s Oval victory saying that they knew the method Pakistan bowlers applied to swing the ball. It was an ambiguous statement and the tabloids implied that Wasim and Waqar had some kind of dirty tricks department operating from an underground bunker in Lahore.

The umpires as well as the international referee kept checking the ball and found it in order. It was all humbug. What was England’s undoing was nothing but the right arm swing, left arm swing and teasing leg spin of waqar, Wasim and Mushtaq respectively.

It is only the one bouncer an over rule that attributes to the excellence of Wasim and Waqar who target the batsmen rather than intimidate them. As a pair, they are no less formidable than Lindwall and Miller, and different from Hall and Griffith in that they bowl a fuller length, and also from Lillee and Thomson and crop of West Indian bowlers in that they are less bloodthirsty.

While the likes of Lillee and Holdings are saluted the Pakistanis are slated. How unfair! Perhaps it is because Pakistan at the moment are the best, and their World Cup victory in Australia and their latest triumph in England amply proves it.

Wasim & Wakar- two of the finest bowlers in the world.