The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is one of the iconic cricket venues located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. 

Inaugurated in January 1992, the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium replaced Pindi Club Ground as an international stadium in the city.

With a seating capacity of 15,000, it is the home ground of Islamabad United and Northern.

The stadium staged its first international cricket match, a one-day international played between hosts Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1992. Led by legendary Imran Khan, Pakistan won the match by 117 runs.

A year later, it hosted its first Test match that involved Pakistan and Zimbabwe. The hosts won the Test by 52 runs.

Almost three decades later, it staged its first T20 international played between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in November 2020. 

Apart from international cricket, it has hosted several T20 domestic matches in the National T20 Cup and the Pakistan Super League. Let’s have a look at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Test records and stats:

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Test records and stats

Highest total

The England cricket team holds the record for the highest total at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Test cricket. During the first Test of England’s tour of Pakistan in December 2022, the visitors posted a mammoth total of 657 in their first innings after electing to bat first. Harry Brook (153), Zak Crawley (122), Ollie Pope (108) and Ben Duckett (107) slammed scintillating centuries to help England register a record Test total at the venue. In reply, Pakistan scored 579 before England posted 264/7d in their second innings to set up a target of 343 in the fourth innings. Under the leadership of Ben Stokes, England bowled out Pakistan for 268 as the visitors won the Test by 74 runs.

Lowest total

The West Indies cricket team registered the lowest total at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Test cricket. The Courtney Walsh-led side were bundled out for 139 in their second innings during the second Test of the West Indies�tour of Pakistan in 1997. Carl Hooper top-scored for the West Indies with 73 not out while Sherwin Campbell scored 34. Wasim Akram was the wrecker-in-chief for Pakistan with figures of 4/42. Earlier, Pakistan bowled out West Indies for 303 in the first innings after opting to field first. Later, the Wasim Akram-led Pakistan scored 471 in reply. Pakistan won the Test by an innings and 29 runs. 

Most runs

Former Pakistan cricketer Saeed Anwar scored the most runs at this ground in cricket’s longest format. The left-handed opening batter accumulated 546 runs in six Test matches at an average of 54.60 between 1994 and 2000. Saeed Anwar slammed two centuries and as many fifties at this venue in Test cricket. His compatriot Babar Azam is second on the list with 506 runs in six Test matches at an impressive average of 72.28.

Most wickets

Legendary fast bowler Waqar Younis picked up the most wickets at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Test cricket. Between 1993 and 2000, the right-arm pacer bagged 23 wickets in five matches at an average of 27. He claimed two four-wicket hauls and one fifer at this venue in Tests. Former teammate Wasim Akram features second on the list with 16 wickets in five Tests.

Highest individual score

Former India cricketer Rahul Dravid registered the highest individual score at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Test cricket. Batting at number three, Rahul Dravid scored 270 against hosts Pakistan in their first innings of the third Test in April 2004. His magnificent double century was laced with 34 fours and one maximum to help India post a huge total of 600 after the visitors bowled out Pakistan for 224. The Sourav Ganguly-led India later bundled out Pakistan for 245 in their second innings to win the Test by an innings and 131 runs.

Best bowling figures in an innings

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Zahid recorded the best bowling figures in an innings of a Test at this venue in 1996. The former right-arm pacer registered brilliant figures of 7/66 to help bundle out New Zealand for 168 in their second innings. Mohammad Zahid dismissed Bryan Young, Justin Vaughan, Adam Parore, captain Lee Germon, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris and Dipak Patel. Pakistan won the Test by an innings and 13 runs to level the two-match series 1-1.

Best bowling figures in a match

Mohammad Zahid also holds the record for the best bowling figures in a Test match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Test cricket. The pacer took 11 wickets during the second Test of New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan in 1996. While Mohammad Zahid took four wickets for 64 runs in the first innings, he scalped seven wickets for 66 runs in the second innings. Zahid’s incredible bowling performance helped Pakistan win the Test by an innings and 13 runs.

Highest partnership

Pakistan’s Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq recorded the highest partnership at this ground in Test cricket. Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq forged a massive 323-run stand for the third wicket in their first innings of the second Test against West Indies in 1997. Aamer Sohail scored 160 while Inzamam-ul-Haq slammed 177. Pakistan won by an innings and 29 runs. 

Photo credit: Imago

The Headingley Cricket Ground is an iconic cricket venue located in Leeds, England.

Established in 1890, the Headingley Cricket Ground is named after a suburb of the city of Leeds, and is linked to a rugby league ground. The venue has a current seating capacity of around 18,000 

It is the home ground of the England cricket team and the Yorkshire County Cricket Club at the domestic level.

The Headingley Cricket Ground staged its first One-Day International (ODI) between England and West Indies in 1973. The hosts won the nail-biting encounter by one wicket. Since then, it has hosted over 40 ODIs so far.

Let’s have a look at Headingley Cricket Ground ODI records and stats:

Headingley Cricket Ground ODI records and stats

Highest total

The England cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at the Headingley Cricket Ground in ODI cricket. During the fifth ODI of Pakistan’s tour of England in 2019, the Eoin Morgan-led hosts posted a record total of 351/9 in their 50 overs. Joe Root (84) and captain Morgan (76) slammed brilliant fifties to power England to a huge total. England later bowled out Pakistan for 297 in 46.5 overs to register a 54-run victory in Leeds.

Lowest team total

England recorded the lowest team total at the Headingley Cricket Ground in ODI format. Put in to bat, England were skittled out for 93 in 28.4 overs by arch-rivals Australia during their Prudential World Cup clash in 1975. Captain Mike Denness top-scored for England with 27. Left-arm pacer Gary Gilmour was the wrecker-in-chief for Australia as he picked six wickets for just 14 runs. Australia later chased down the required target with four wickets in hand. 

Most runs

Former England cricket team captain Eoin Morgan holds the record for the most runs at this venue in ODI cricket. Between 2010 and 2019, Morgan amassed 477 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 59.62 and a strike rate of 93.89. He registered one hundred and four fifties at the Headingley Cricket Ground in 50-over format. Morgan’s compatriot Joe Root is second on the list with 421 runs in seven matches.

Most wickets

England cricketer Adil Rashid has claimed the most wickets at this ground in ODI format. The veteran leg-spinner has bagged 13 ODI wickets in seven matches at an average of 27.92 and an economy of 5.68. He has best bowling figures of 3/47 at this venue in 50-over cricket. Former England pacer Chris Old features second on the list with 12 wickets in five ODIs.

Highest individual score

Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya registered the highest individual score at the Headingley Cricket Ground in ODI cricket. Chasing 322 against England in 2006, Sanath Jayasuriya smashed 152 off just 99 balls to guide Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win in the fifth ODI. Jayasuriya’s match-winning knock was laced with 20 fours and four sixes. Earlier, Marcus Trescothick’s 121 powered England to 321/7 in their 50 overs.

Best bowling figures

Legendary Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis recorded the best bowling figures at this venue in 50-over format. Waqar Younis�sensational spell of 10-0-36-7 helped Pakistan bowl out England for 156 in their NatWest Series encounter in 2001. The former right-arm pacer dismissed Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight, captain Alec Stewart, Michael Vaughan, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood and Dominic Cork to bundle the hosts for a low total. Pakistan won when England conceded the match in an unprecedented event.

Highest partnership

Former Sri Lankan cricketers Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya hold the record for the highest partnership at the Headingley Cricket Ground in ODI cricket. Tharanga and Jaysuriya forged a match-winning 286-run stand for the opening wicket against hosts England while chasing 322 in 2006. While Tharanga slammed 109, Jayasuriya scored 99-ball 152. Sri Lanka won the match by eight wickets.

Photo credit: Alamy

Former Sri Lanka spinner Muthiah Muralidaran has claimed the most wickets in international cricket.

Having made his international debut against Australia in a Test match in 1992, Muralidaran ended his career as the all-time highest wicket-taker in international cricket with 1347 scalps in 495 matches at an average of 22.86. He recorded 77 five-wicket hauls and 22 10-wicket hauls in his international career.

Considered to be one of the greatest bowlers to have played the sport, Muralidaran bagged 800 Test wickets in 133 matches at an average of 22.72 - the most by any bowler in the longest format of the game.

Muralidaran also holds the record for picking the most wickets in the ODI format, bagging 534 wickets in 350 matches at an impressive average of 23.08 and an economy of 3.93. 

The legendary off-spinner also played 12 T20Is, claiming 13 wickets at an economy of 6.31.

Muralitharan made his last international appearance in the 2011 World Cup final against India in Mumbai, which Sri Lanka lost by six wickets.

Australian legend Shane Warne features second on the list for most wickets in international cricket. During his international career, the leg-spinner picked 1001 wickets in 339 matches at an average of 25.51 including 38 five-wicket hauls and 10 10-wicket hauls.

Between 1992 and 2007, Warne bagged 708 Test wickets in 145 matches and 293 ODI wickets in 194 matches. 

England pacer James Anderson is third on the list for most wickets in international cricket. Anderson has bagged 975 wickets in 394 matches at an average of 27.12 with 34 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls.

Former India spinner Anil Kumble and ex-Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath complete the top five list for most wickets in international cricket.

While Kumble picked 956 wickets in 403 matches, McGrath picked up 949 wickets in 376 matches. Currently, Anderson has the most wickets in international cricket among active players.

Most wickets in international cricket

Player	Span	Matches	Wickets	AverageÂ	Economy	5w	10w
Muthiah Muralidaran	1992-2011	495	1347	22.86	2.92	77	22
Shane Warne	1992-2007	339	1001	25.51	2.98	38	10
James Anderson	2002-2023	394	975	27.12	3.25	34	3
Anil Kumble	1990-2008	403	956	30.09	3.11	37	8
Glenn McGrath	1993-2007	376	949	21.76	2.93	36	3
Wasim Akram	1984-2003	460	916	23.57	3.17	31	5
Stuart Broad	2006-2022	342	841	27.76	3.45	21	3
Shaun PollockÂ	1995-2008	423	829	23.73	2.92	21	1
Waqar Younis	1989-2003	349	789	23.70	3.88	35	5
Chaminda Vaas	1994-2009	439	761	28.44	3.30	16	2

Featured photo: SANKA VIDANAGAMA / AFP

Reverse swing in cricket is said to have originated in Pakistan and invented by former First-Class cricketer Salim Mir, who mastered the art while playing for Punjab Cricket Club in Lahore.   

Mir later shared the skills with his former teammate Sarfraz Nawaz, who brought the craft of reverse swing to the international stage during the late 1970s.

Over the years, several Pakistan pacers including 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis used reverse swing to their advantage to torment opposition batters. 

Apart from the Pakistan fast bowlers, pacers from other cricketing nations, the likes of Dale Steyn, Andrew Flintoff, James Anderson, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Brett Lee, Jasprit Bumrah and Neil Wagner have acquired the expertise of reverse swing to deceive the batters.

But what is reverse swing in cricket? Here’s a closer look at the art of reverse swing, which has left plenty of batters bewildered due to the ball’s movement over the years.

What is reverse swing in cricket?

Reverse swing in cricket refers to a phenomenon when a fast bowler gets to swing the ball in an opposite direction as compared to his conventional or expected swing.

The occurrence of reverse swing only takes place when the ball is very old (at least 35-40 overs old) and has lost its shine on one side. In order to reverse swing, the players have to make sure that the one side of the ball is shiny, while the other side is rough.

If a bowler manages to master the craft of reverse swing, a natural outswinger becomes an inswinger, while an inswinger becomes an outswinger. The old ball will swing in the opposite direction towards where the shiny side is.

How to reverse swing a cricket ball?

Reverse swing is an art in cricket. It requires proper team effort to achieve the results. 

Before COVID-19 pandemic, cricketers were allowed to use saliva to shine the ball. They used to spit on the ball and later rub the ball on their thighs to keep one side of the ball shiny in order to help the bowlers get some reverse swing.

However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a permanent ban on use of saliva as a preventive measure against the spread of Coronavirus. This measure has certainly affected bowlers in achieving the desired result of reverse swing.

In order to achieve this phenomenon, the seam of the ball also needs to be presented in a certain way. The bowler needs to hold the ball with the seam pointing towards the slips, and also released with a slightly angled seam.

Additionally, in case of a dry pitch and rough outfield, there are more chances of reverse swing.

In a few previous instances, cricketers have been involved in ball tampering in order to achieve reverse swing and affect the outcome of the game. Once found guilty, these cricketers have been punished by the cricket’s world governing body.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket.

Since making his ODI debut against West Indies in 1989, Waqar Younis claimed 13 five-wicket hauls - the most by any player in the history of the One Day International (ODI) format.

Regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers to have played the game, Younis ended his stellar career with 416 ODI wickets in 262 matches at an average of 23.84 and an economy of 4.68.

His best ODI performance came against England after he picked seven wickets for just 36 runs in his quota of 10 overs. 

Younis played his last ODI against Zimbabwe in 2003, ending his illustrious career with 789 international wickets in 349 matches including 35 five-wicket hauls and five 10-wicket hauls.

Sri Lanka cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan is second on the list of most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket.

The former leg-spinner bagged 10 five-wicket hauls in his impressive ODI career. Between 1993 and 2011, Muralitharan took 534 ODI wickets in 350 matches at an average of 23.08 and an economy of 3.93.

Muralitharan’s best ODI figures of 7/30 came against India in a Champions Trophy encounter at Sharjah in 2000.

Interestingly, Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in international cricket. The Kandy-born cricketer picked 1347 wickets in 495 matches at an average of 22.86. He claimed a staggering 77 five-wicket hauls and 22 10-wickets in his legendary career.

Australia speedster Brett Lee and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi are in the third and fourth spot respectively. Both Lee and Afridi have bagged nine five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket.

While Aussie fast bowler Brett Lee claimed nine five-wicket hauls in 221 ODIs, Afridi recorded the same tally of five-wicket haul in 398 ODIs.

Among active cricketers, Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has claimed the most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. Starc has eight five-wicket hauls in 99 ODIs so far and is currently on the fifth spot of most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. Starc equalled Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who also has eight five-wicket hauls in 226 ODI matches.

Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh have the most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket among Indian cricketers. While former fast bowler Srinath took three five-wicket hauls in 229 ODIs, off-spinner Harbhajan recorded the same number of five-wicket hauls from 236 ODIs.

Most five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket

Player	Span	Matches	Wickets	AverageÂ	Economy	Five-wicket hauls
Waqar Younis (PAK)	1989-2003	262	416	23.84	4.68	13
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)	1993-2011	350	534	23.08	3.93	10
Brett Lee (AUS)	2000-2012	221	380	23.36	4.76	9
Shahid Afridi (PAK)	1996-2015	398	395	34.51	4.62	9
Mitchell Starc (AUS)	2010-2021	99	195	22.45	5.15	8
Lasith Malinga (SL)	2004-2019	226	338	28.87	5.35	8
Glenn Mcgrath (AUS)	1993-2007	250	381	22.02	3.88	7
Lance Klusener (SA)	1996-2004	171	192	29.95	4.70	6
Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK)	1995-2003	169	288	21.78	4.29	6
Wasim Akram (PAK)	1984-2003	356	502	23.52	3.89	6

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Featured photo: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP

Legendary spinner Muthiah Muralitharan sits atop the list for most wickets in ODI having bagged 534 wickets in 350 ODI matches.

The spin wizard made his debut for Sri Lanka against India in 1993 and took the wicket of Pravin Amre in that game to play his part in an 8-run win for his team.

Since then, Muralitharan dismissed 275 different batters in his 18-year ODI career and has registered the most wickets taken via stumpings (56).

Muthiah Muralitharan claimed 500-plus ODI wickets in 15 years and 165 days to become the quickest bowler to reach the landmark. However, the first bowler to breach the 500 ODI wickets milestone was Pakistan’s Wasim Akram.

Nicknamed the Sultan of Swing, Akram is revered as one of cricket’s pace icons. The Pakistan great became the first to take 500 ODI wickets with the dismissal of Netherlands�Nick Statham in a 2003 Cricket World Cup match.

Wasim Akram would finish his limited-overs career with 502 scalps in 356 matches and sits second on the leaderboard for most wickets in ODIs.

Akram’s pace partner Waqar Younis is third on the list for most wickets in ODIs. The right-arm quick took 416 ODI wickets, while Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas is fourth with 400 ODI wickets. 

The Sri Lankan pacer is considered one of the best new-ball bowlers to ever play in the 50-over format and is the only bowler to take eight wickets in an ODI innings (8/19 vs Zimbabwe, 2001).

Shahid Afridi rounds up our top five list for most ODI wickets. The flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder grabbed 395 wickets in 398 matches besides being a healthy contributor for his team with the bat as well.

Most wickets in ODI

Player	Career span	Matches	Wickets
Muthiah Muralitharan	1993-2011	350	534
Wasim Akram	1984-2003	356	502
Waqar Younis	1989-2003	262	416
Chaminda Vaas	1994-2008	322	400
Shahid Afridi	1996-2015	398	395

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / William West

When Pakistan bowler Wasim Akram made his international debut in 1985 at the age of 17, cricket was a bowler’s game and youngsters had enough idols who inspired them to pursue fast bowling.

The speeding circuit was ruled by the menacing likes of Malcolm Marshall, Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, Joel Garner and Pakistan's very own Imran Khan, and the poster boys were all using brute strength to win bouncer wars and intimidate batsmen.

However, an intellectual Wasim Akram - who idolized Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal and Mushtaq Mohammad - always saw fast bowling in terms of dimensions and new angle lines rather than repetitive hitting of the deck at shorter lengths.

“Fast bowling is not all about fitness and power; it is not about big, dumb men with biceps and triceps,�Wasim Akram would say in an interview with Cricket Monthly.

“You need to be able to analyze the weaknesses of the batsman, read the conditions, use the conditions,�added the Pakistan bowler.

The battle of man versus nature has been older than time, but little did a young Wasim Akram know that he would end up bending the very laws of nature to find his place in cricketing history.

While many would label Wasim Akram as an inborn talent, all the Lahore lad had from the beginning was a distinct imagination. And it was more of a curse than a gift because Akram would injure every pivotal part of his body to attain the perfection that his fascination projected.

The byproduct was the most complete fast bowler cricket ever produced.  At his peak, Akram could hit the same spot four times with the ball acting in four different ways. He wasn’t the fastest bowler in the world but his deliveries would come in, go out �both over and round the wicket �see an early swing and vice versa, and all this while having complete control on pace and length.

“As a fast bowler, you had to learn the variety. If the new ball didn't work, you had to get the slower balls going, you had to mix them up; with the old ball you had to learn how to reverse,�Akram says.

The Sultan of Swing

It was the last skill �the reverse swing �that would attain Wasim Akram a legendary status.

While the enhancement of protective gears in cricket would eventually see batsmen countering the petrifying bouncers from shorter lengths, there was no saving one from Akram’s late swinging fuller deliveries that went on to hit the pads or the stumps.

If spin bowling has a mystery attached to it, Akram’s swing bowling had wizardry. The Pakistan bowler could spell magic into the ball just before it was released from his firm wrist, leaving batsmen flummoxed and flabbergasted.

“People were just baffled; they didn't understand what was happening. And we came from the subcontinent,�Akram proudly narrated.

“In England, they just couldn't play me and Waqar; they were getting beaten every second ball; they didn't know what the hell was happening,�he added.

Balls bowled once in a generation

While Google would throw up a dozen of results if searched “Wasim Akram best wickets� two of his deliveries have stood the test of time as they leave viewers in awe even today.

The more popular one was his perfect torture of Rahul Dravid in the 1999 Test in Chennai. Though Akram had got Dravid out with an LBW in his previous delivery, the umpire couldn’t see it. Hence, the Pakistan bowler had to produce something more definitive and he did exactly that.

His next delivery saw the ball pitching in line of the middle stump and taking Dravid’s off stump. Not only did the ball leave a tactically astute batsman like Dravid shocked, but the fact that it was executed on a sub-continental dusty pitch spoke volumes about Akram’s class.

While Dravid’s dismissal is often hailed as a “ball of the century�contender, there’s another otherworldly spell by Akram that is almost forgotten for it was so good. The batsman facing Akram was England’s Robert Croft and while he was given a “not out�by the umpire after an LBW appeal, it was the replay that had shocked the world.

Replayed on television with the sole purpose of ridiculing Akram’s appeal following his delivery, viewers had ended up seeing magic. Akram’s ball had first gone down the batsman’s leg stump before suddenly straightening down the line and cutting past the batsman’s bat to hit his pads right in front of the middle stump.

Yes! The ball had swung in two different directions in one go. Before Akram did it, no mortal would have thought it to be possible.

Under the wings of Imran Khan

Fiery Pakistan bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were undoubtedly the best cricketers in world cricket in the early 1990s. The flair and aggression that they brought to the pitch made Pakistan world beaters in the World Cup in 1992.

28 years ago today @TheRealPCB won the 1992 @cricketworldcup. My friend @wasimakramlive was the man of the match. pic.twitter.com/yw5LDSPNAy

�Frank Khalid (@FrankKhalidUK) March 25, 2020

However, while Younis was a freak of nature, who could break any batting line-up by raw and uncontrollable pace, Akram was like a controlled sword that could cut through the most disciplined of defences with impeccability. And Akram credits his skipper Imran Khan for the same.

Though Akram was a find of Javed Miandad during a random net session, it was Pakistan’s World Cup-winning skipper who realized the untamed potential in a teenager and imparted discipline in him.

A popular story does the rounds in cricketing folklore that during Pakistan’s tour of England in 1987, Imran Khan was driving Akram around in his car while indoctrinating the protégé. And among most of his advice was, “You have to work like a dog, Wasim.�/span>

“Imran Khan taught me how to use the conditions, the virtue of hard work and patience, and most of all the mental side of fast bowling,�Wasim Akram recalled, “He taught me never to lose hope and never to be content. To be successful, you had to have hunger.�/span>

Though Akram would often approach Malcolm Marshall and Richard Hadlee for advice on his fast bowling, while Franklyn Stephenson was his sole inspiration for learning the slow balls, Imran Khan was the mentor who forged Wasim Akram into a world-class bowler.

Taking wickets for fun

A five-wicket haul is considered an extraordinary feat even today when a bowler is bombed with stats about strengths and weaknesses of the batsman he is running up to. Akram was taking five-fers for fun in the 1980s, with only his talent to rely on.

Akram had started with a bang with successive five-fers in either innings of the 1985 Test against New Zealand and followed it up with five-wicket hauls against West Indies (1986) and India (1987).

Akram notched his first-ever international hat-trick in 1989 against West Indies when he had consecutively dismissed Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall and Sir Curtly Ambrose to help Pakistan win a losing battle.

The second hat-trick would follow six months later at the 1990 Austral-Asia Cup when Akram sunk the Australian ship with a hat-trick in the 47th over. His victims this time were Merv Hughes, Carl Rackemann and Terry Alderman as Pakistan cruised to a 38-run victory.

Wasim Akram became the 4th man to take a hat-trick in ODIs. This was v WI at Sharjah in 1989

Hat-trick victims: Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall & Curtly Ambrose@wasimakramlive pic.twitter.com/ALuoj8GNNW

�Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) June 22, 2020

The 1992-93 Wills Trophy was another occasion. Playing against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan bowler would go on to take successive four-wicket hauls in the group stage as well as the final. Viewers were in awe as Akram dismissed the likes of Roshan Mahanama and Arjuna Ranatunga, among others, for fun to win the “Man of the Series�award.

Sri Lanka fans would remember the unplayable Wasim Akram from the 1999 Asian Test Championships as well, where the Pakistan bowler had taken two hat-tricks against Sri Lanka in consecutive Test matches.

After dismissing Romesh Kaluwitharana, Niroshan Bandaratilleke and Pramodya Wickramasinghe in the Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Akram had gone past Avishka Gunaratne, Chaminda Vaas and Mahela Jayawardene at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium in the following Test match.

#OnThisDay in 1999, Wasim Akram took a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the final of the Asian Test Championship in Dhaka. Pakistan went on to win by an innings and 175 runs.

Great bowling from the legend, together with superb commentary from Tony Greig #Cricket pic.twitter.com/7UdJkIpn8S

�Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) March 14, 2020

Akram is the only bowler to take four hat-tricks in international cricket (two each in Tests and One Day Internationals), and the third of only four bowlers to take two Test cricket hat-tricks. The others were Hugh Trumble, Jimmy Matthews and Stuart Broad.

A messy retirement

Wasim Akram retired with over 400 wickets to his name in both the Test (414 wickets) and ODI (502) formats. He was the first-ever cricketer to achieve that feat and the only Pakistan bowler ever to do so. However, these figures could clean Akram’s tainted legacy only so much, after he led a career that was filled with controversies.

Apart from being in a continuous tussle with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which saw Akram being dropped from the team numerous times in the latter half of his career, he was accused of match-fixing as well.

However, despite his credibility and reputation getting compromised, cricket fans would agree that Wasim Akram redefined fast bowling in a never-before-seen manner that left an entire generation of cricketers wanting for more.

Written by: Subhayan Dutta

The Pakistan cricket team made its entry into international cricket in 1952, and since then, its erratic journey and unpredictable results has always kept it in the news.

The highs of the Pakistan national cricket team are mostly associated with their steady stream of talented players like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi and current sensation Babar Azam.

And with respect to their lows, Pakistan have been plagued with disciplinary issues, ball-tampering, match-fixings and the mismanagement of players by the Pakistan Cricket Board over their long stay.

Here we showcase the moments that proved to be key highlights of the Pakistan cricket team’s journey across all formats of cricket over the decades.

First Test win in only second match

The Pakistan cricket team registered their maiden Test victory in only their second Test match. Incidentally, it was against their arch-rivals India in Lucknow.

India, led by Lala Amarnath, opted to bat first but were bowled out for just 106 thanks to Fazal Mahmood who recorded Pakistan’s first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Riding on Nazar Mohammad’s unbeaten 125, Pakistan posted 331 on the scoreboard and once again had Mahmood torment India with a spell of 7/42 to script a win by an innings and 43 runs. While Pakistan lost the first and third Tests, the early win showed that they were no pushovers in international cricket.

First Test win on English soil

In 1954, just two years into international cricket, Pakistan entered the record books by becoming the first team to win a Test match in its inaugural tour of England.

In the first three matches of the four-match rain-marred Test series, England had won one while two were drawn but in the finale played at the Oval, Pakistan was set to script history.

On this day 1954. Fazal Mahmood's figures of 12 for 99 help Pakistan beat England by 24 runs at the Oval #Cricket pic.twitter.com/KGdaYiYIdl

�Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) August 17, 2015

Electing to bat first, the low-scoring encounter saw the Men in Green muster only 130 but his back by bowling out the hosts for 133. Pakistan, however, couldn’t capitalise as they were dismissed for just 164 in the second innings. It proved to be enough. Fazal Mahmood, eventually named Man of the Match, followed up on his six-wicket haul from the first innings with yet another six wickets to hand the Pakistan cricket team a 24-run win and one of their greatest Test victories.

Wasim Raja’s drunken acts

The 1970s and 1980s was a troubling phase for the Pakistan cricket team, as they were locked in a bitter relationship with the cricket board and the government. And one of the victims was their talented all-rounder Wasim Raja.

Wasim, the older brother of former cricketer and commentator Rameez Raja, infamously unzipped his pants in front of the audience in the 1975 Karachi Test against the West Indies, with the local press reporting that he played the game in a drunken state.

Wasim Raja’s love for alcohol continued as he went into a drunken rage, smashing the mirrors for failing to make the cut in the 1976-77 Sydney Test against Australia, and he went on to accuse the team manager, Shujauddin, of favouritism.

Imran Khan anchors Pakistan’s first Test win Down Under

After a three-year drought in Test cricket, the Pakistan cricket team pulled off one of their greatest international victories in years thanks to Imran Khan’s six-wicket hauls in each innings of the 1976-77 Sydney Test.

Pakistan were 0-1 down in the three-match series, and new captain Mushtaq Mohammad’s usage of Imran Khan, who had just played 10 Tests by then, proved to be a masterstroke for the visitors. His first innings spell of 6/102 restricted the Aussies to 211, astonishing the hosts and the audience alike as the Kangaroos were outright favourites to win the Test.

Imran returned with a second six-wicket haul to bowl out Australia for 180, paving the way for Pakistan to need just 32 runs to pull off the greatest upset at that point of time.

Javed Miandad’s six that won a final vs India

While MS Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup-winning six is undeniably the greatest moment in modern cricket history, a certain Javed Miandad’s six in the final of the 1986 Austral - Asia Cup against India not only redefined the rivalry between the countries, but it turned the then 29-year-old into a national icon.

Imran Khan, the Pakistan captain, oversaw his team march past the formidable Australia and a helpless New Zealand, against whom they registered a 10-wicket win in the team’s lowest-scoring ODI encounter ever, to book a date with India.

#OnThisDay 1986. Javed Miandad with the six that broke a billion hearts #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Pf24AqRSYp

�Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) April 18, 2020

Pakistan�chase of 246 faltered along the way, and when they needed 90 runs to win in the last ten overs, Javed Miandad got the target down to 11 runs required from the last over. After losing two wickets and needing four off the last delivery, it was now or never for Miandad to deny Kapil Dev’s men a one-wicket victory. Instead, he hit a six. The 20,000-odd fans at Sharjah went into a frenzy and the incident has gone down as one of the most memorable moments in cricket history.

Unpredictables win 1992 Cricket World Cup

Pakistan cricket team’s journey at the 1992 Cricket World Cup was far from perfect, as their one win from their opening five fixtures left them on the cusp of a premature exit. But Imran Khan’s ‘Cornered Tigers�quickly regained their footing with wins in their final three fixtures. In the semi-final, Pakistan pulled off a difficult run chase -- they needed eight runs an over in the final 14 overs -- against New Zealand to book a place in the final.

#OnThisDay in 1992, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan were crowned ICC Men's Cricket World Cup champions for the first time after beating England in the final in Melbourne by 22 runs.pic.twitter.com/ugiWjeYhyK

�Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 25, 2020

After Pakistan set England a target of 250 to chase in the final, Graham Gooch’s side was reduced to 69/4 and the English saw their chances of winning plummet after Wasim Akram’s twin strike in the 35th over. Eventually, Imran Khan, in the last moment of his ODI career, took the final wicket of Richard Illingworth to seal a fairytale victory. Pakistan’s world cup win is remembered as one of the landmark moments in the history of the sport.

Match-fixing stings Pakistan

The Pakistan cricket team of the 1990s was arguably one of the greatest in its history, but it also became synonymous for alleged involvement in match-fixing.

Rashid Latif, former captain and wicket-keeper, disclosed that Saleem Malik accepted bribes during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1995. A judicial inquiry started probing the then Pakistan captain Ata-ur Rehman.

While the saga went on for 18 months, the players were finally banned for life and Wasim Akram, who failed to cooperate with the inquiry, was fined £3,300. Additionally, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul Haq, Akram Raza, and Saeed Anwar also received fines of £1200 each.

Ball-tamperings in 2006 and 2010

While they were still reeling from the match-fixing scandal, the Pakistan cricket team found itself amidst two ball-tampering scandals in 2006 and 2010, with the latter centred around Shahid Afridi.

In the 2006 Test at the Oval against England, umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove called out the Pakistanis for ball-tampering and awarded five penalty runs to the hosts. The fixture was later abandoned with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was cleared of ball-tampering, being banned for four matches for bringing the game to disrepute.

In contrast to the 2006 incident, Shahid Afridi was caught on camera trying to bite the ball to alter its shape in their ODI game against Australia at Perth in 2010. The all-rounder pleaded guilty to the charge and the event significantly impacted his career that was constantly ridden with controversial decisions.

Bob Woolmer’s mysterious death

While the Pakistan cricket team’s 2007 Cricket World Cup defeat at the hands of debutants Ireland had already grabbed the biggest headlines, the death of then-head coach Bob Woolmer took the sporting world aback.

 

The Englishman, who was found unconscious in his hotel room, was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The mystery behind his death is still unresolved to this very day, with multiple theories based on the match-fixing and behind-the-scenes player tensions are woven.

T20 World Cup retribution

Pakistan, still healing from the violent attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus during the two nations�Test series in 2009, entered that year’s T20 World Cup as underdogs but rode on the sheer brilliance of Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul to lift the title.

 

Incidentally, Pakistan locked horns against Sri Lanka in the 2009 T20 World Cup final that bore the burden of the Lahore tragedy earlier that year. But, the Men in Green showcased maturity and grit to capture the country’s second piece of ICC silverware since Imran Khan’s triumph in Australia.

Spot-fixing, a new scandal to hit Pakistan

Happy times didn’t last long for the Pakistan cricket team as three players, Mohammad Amir, Mohammed Asif and captain Salman Butt, were found guilty of spot-fixing in a Test match between Pakistan and England at Lord's in 2010. Consequently, they were given professional bans for a period of five, seven and 10 years respectively.

An undercover operation by News of the World brought forward the evidence that the three Pakistan cricket team players accepted money from bookmaker Mazhar Majeed to deliberately underperform at key moments in the Test match.

This event not only cast a shadow on the image of the Pakistan cricket team but also saw more than 80 of the nation’s previous matches coming under the scanner.

The unexpected 2017 Champions Trophy victory

Pakistan entered the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy as the lowest-ranked team in the competition but proved doubters wrong as they trounced arch-rivals India by 180 runs in the final.

After their opening loss to tournament favourites India, the Men in Green were completely written off from the competition. But they won their next two matches and once they stunned hosts England in the semi-final, Pakistan were expected to play out a thriller against India in the final at London.

Pakistan’s matches against India in ICC tournaments have been largely one-sided with the Men in Blue favourites.

 

But Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first in the final backfired as Pakistan punished the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to plot a mammoth score of 339.

Sloppy starts and failure to build upon strong batting partnerships cost India the Champions Trophy title and thus, Pakistan once again pulled off an odds-defying triumph to consolidate their status as cricket’s most unpredictable team.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / GLYN KIRK

Test cricket is one of the oldest forms of competitive cricket played at an international level. The longest form of the game is truly a ‘test�of a player’s stamina, quality and an assessment of their resilience through the five different weather and pitch conditions that a venue can provide.

Many top Test sides are synonymous with their batting legends �we have Donald Bradman, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden from Australia, Brian Lara and Vivian Richards from West Indies, and VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar from India. Hence, on many occasions, the contributions of a bowler might be overlooked if the match was a high-scoring one.

However, as the years have gone by, many bowlers have stood out for their individual contributions to Test cricket; a few examples being Ian Bishop, Muttiah Muralitharan and Richard Hadlee. However, keeping in mind that Tests are very competitive and strenuous matches, sometimes, the bowler need the support of another compatriot to sustain his performance.

Just like iconic batting partnerships, there have been many bowlers who work in tandem with each other to help their side achieve victory. The earliest of these successful pairs were Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster, who led England to 4-1 Ashes victory in 1911-12. Barnes took 34 wickets while Foster managed 32, going through the Aussie batting line-up with ease.

Sadly, Frank Foster’s penchant for theatrics and the subsequent demise of his career partly due to precarious choices and the first World War leaves us only to wonder what might have been if this pair had gotten to play more than they did. The unpredictable bowler went on to play 11 Tests, all of them alongside Barnes, racking up an astonishing 118 wickets between them.

They might not have been the first of the Test bowling pairs, but they were definitely among the first of the many greats. Since then, many bowlers have teamed up to create havoc for their opponents over the years, slowly etching their names in history books. A few such examples are Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Bishan Bedi, who have 368 wickets in 42 Tests together, having played between for India between 1966-1978, or Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding, who have 291 wickets in 33 Tests whilst playing for the West Indies in the 1980s. Then there are the likes of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, who have 217 wickets in 26 Tests for Australia.

Waqar and Wasim

However, while these pairs are well and good, none of them were able to cross 50 Test matches together. This brings us to Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, who scalped 559 wickets in 61 matches together. And unlike most other pairs, these two weren’t the kind who complemented each other on the field. Their prowess came from a certain level of competition which they maintained against each other, striving them towards being the best for their country.

Read | Who is India's best spin-bowling all-rounder in T20Is?

Many pairs have taken more wickets than these two, such as James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who took 883 wickets in their Tests 116 together and Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, who have scalped 895 among themselves. But the reason why Waqar and Wasim are considered greater than these two is that while opening the bowling in 56 of their 61 games together, this pairing has taken 476 wickets at an average of 22.39, 64 more than any of the others.

Barring their personal differences, which led to certain decline in Pakistan’s performances at the turn of the century, both these pacers were arguably among the best bowlers to have been produced by the subcontinental country. With great variation in their bowling, their yorkers were rumoured to have broken many toes.

Waqar was one of the earliest users as well as masters of the reverse swing, and having shared his Test debut with the ‘Master Blaster�Sachin Tendulkar at Karachi in 1989, scalping his wicket for 15. He also has the dubious distinction of becoming the first bowler to be banned for ball-tampering.

While they had their differences, none can counter the fact that they added extra teeth to the Pakistan side. By the end of their careers, Waqar and Wasim played in a combined 191 matches and picked up 787 wickets among themselves.

Ambrose and Walsh

While West Indies might just be a shadow of their former selves in the current international scenario, one cannot discount that at a point of time, they were one of the best and most feared cricket teams to walk this earth. Gifted with many star players through the years, the Windies have had their fair share of batting as well as bowling talent.

While the sextet of Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Sylvester Clarke and Colin Croft sent shivers down the spine of many a batsman between the mid-1970s to mid-1990s, the statistics lie in the hands of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, who reigned supreme during the nineties. This came at the apparent start of the Windies�decline over the years, but their bowling prowess always managed to keep the team afloat, etching their names in Test bowling pair history.

The two played 95 matches together, picking up 762 wickets amongst themselves. This pairing has been known to demolish bowlers across all platforms. Ambrose took seven Aussie wickets, conceding just one run in the fifth Test of their tour of Australia in 1993, and followed it up with six wickets for 60 runs against England at home in 1994.

With these two in their side, only Australia managed to win more Test matches between 1988 and 2000, and by 1995, the Windies had the second-best win-loss ratio. During this time, the pairing of Ambrose and Walsh would open the bowling for their team on 52 different occasions, scalping 412 wickets in the process. Playing a combined 230 Test matches, these star pacers scalped 924 wickets amongst themselves, with Walsh picking up 519 and Ambrose 405.

Warne and McGrath

When James Anderson and Stuart Broad took to the field during the 2019 Ashes, they might have made their last possible Ashes series appearance, having established themselves as the best bowling pair in World Test cricket. Many fans and pundits alike have stated that these two are the best bowling pair that Test cricket has seen, with it getting labelled the ‘Branderson bromance� with the pair scalping 883 wickets in their 116 matches together.

Read | Assessing South Africa's options for Test captaincy

However, while Broad and Anderson have been equally prolific and consistent in their performances, they still fall more than 150 wickets short of the Aussie pairing of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, while playing nine matches more. Over the 104 Tests that these two greats have played together, they scalped 1001 wickets between 1993 and 2007.

Many Australian pundits look at Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson when it comes to bowling pairs, but with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath on their side, Australia won 71 Tests when both these players took to the field. During this time, almost 60 percent of their wickets were top-order batsman and Australia were the best cricket team during their reign in the national team. Aside from winning three consecutive World Cup trophies between 1999 to 2007, Australia got the better of their biggest rivals England in the legendary Ashes with victories in the 1990�1, 1993, 1994�5, 1997, 1998�9, 2001 and 2002�3 editions.

McGrath was the epitome of a complete bowler. He had the right height, bounce, pace and accuracy to outwit the batsmen at the opposite end. Combined with the wrist-spinning abilities of Shane Warne, who established himself as the best bowler during his reign, Australia ruled the roost across all available formats of the game. Between them, they have a staggering 1271 wickets, with Shane Warne scalping 708 and Glenn McGrath 563.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / William West

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

Pace great Waqar Younis believes Pakistan's young and largely untested fast-bowling attack can cause big problems for Australia in their imminent Test series as the team looks to bounce back from a poor Twenty20 campaign.

Following the retirement of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz this year, Pakistan have brought 16-year-old Nasim Shah and 19-year-old pair Musa Khan and Shaheen Afridi to Australia, along with veteran seamer Imran Khan senior.

While Imran destroyed Australia A in Pakistan's warm-up match in Perth this week with 5-32 in their first innings, Nasim produced eight high-quality overs in the second innings.

Younis, Pakistan's bowling coach, said he saw enough during the match to suggest Nasim and Afridi, in particular, can shine on Australia's hard, fast pitches.

"Of course, that sort of performance (against Australia A) makes you feel that you're not naive being here and you can really do the job," he said in The Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper Thursday.

Pakistan dismissed an Australian team featuring Test aspirants Joe Burns, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft for 122 then restricted them to 91 for two in the second innings.

"All those batters have played for Australia or are knocking at the door," added Younis. 

"So getting them out early and bowling out the entire team cheaply will probably give us a very good message, that we are here for the business.

"We want to win and we want to challenge this Australian side, so there's definitely confidence."

The first of two Tests against Australia gets underway in Brisbane next week, with Pakistan looking to improve after losing the Twenty20 series 2-0.

Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed, who are both in the Test squad, were the only Pakistan batsmen to make an impact over the short format.

But Younis believes their batting stocks are deep enough to cope with a Test barrage from Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson.

"I don't think Pakistan is worried about facing them or scared of any of them," he said.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee