LAHORE, 9 April 2004— Pakistan put the finishing touches to a superb victory professionally. After cutting through the Indian lower order with yet another disciplined display on the field, they knocked up the required 40 runs with ease to chalk up a nine-wicket victory and square the three-Test series 1-1.
India’s outside hopes of making a match of it was snuffed out in Shoaib Akhtar’s fourth over of the morning when overnight batsman Virender Sehwag was out. Though Parthiv Patel led a brief rearguard action, the only thing India could do was avoid defeat by an innings, as they slumped from the day’s start at 149 for five to 241 all out, just 15 minutes before lunch.
Pakistan lost Imran Farhat in the chase for victory, but Taufeeq Umar (14) and Yasir Hameed (19) eased them past this meager total without further blemish.
After the win, an irate Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq took the team’s critics to task while dropping a bombshell, saying he would reconsider his position as the team’s captain if this sustained sniping at the team’s performances continues. “I’ll give up the captaincy if this rash of negative criticisms and allegations continue. This has put the team under tremendous pressure and the avalanche of attack after our loss in Multan had really demoralized the boys,” he said.
“My team has given a fitting reply to these critics with this performance and victory,” he said, while adding that he was not against criticism but it should be positive and my boys have worked hard for this win.
That they did was evident on the field for the four days the Test lasted at the Qaddafi Stadium. Yesterday once again the fast bowlers used the little assistance they got from the wicket, early in the morning, well by making the batsmen play. And the accuracy they exhibited in the end put paid to Sehwag’s innings. A shackled Sehwag flashed at a Shoaib’s delivery outside the off stump and the top-edge was accepted by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. He had made 90 and the score was 160.
Irfan Pathan, who had batted with spirit in the first innings, was not allowed to settle in with Shoaib producing a devastating four-ball burst in which he had Irfan in all sorts of trouble. Irfan fended at or missed the three balls he faced first with two popups failing to carry to the fieldsmen. He then edged the fourth ball be faced to Taufeeq in the slips.
Parthiv Patel, executing some superb square and cover drives interspersed with some streaky shots down to the fine leg, and Ajit Agarkar, who swished his bat around, took the score past the 200 mark in a 75-run association at nearly a run per ball. But once Agarkar fell at 235, for 36 off 48 balls, the end was near.
Danish Kaneria, who had taken Agarkar with the one that hurried through, then quickly wrapped up the Indian innings with two wickets in two balls to stand on the threshold of a hat trick.
He first had Anil Kumble stumped by Akmal with a turner on the third ball of his seventh over and, then trapped Balaji leg before with one that kept low with the very next delivery.
The rival captains in the post-match press conferences had different ideas about the turning point in the match. Inzamam said: “Definitely Rahul’s run out in the second innings.” While Dravid was not drawn into it. “Yes there were many, but my run out was just one factor. Umar Gul’s first day spell, in my opinion, was the one that broke us,” he said. Both the captains were looking forward to playing in Rawalpindi with Inzamam warning his team from getting complacent, while Dravid exhorting his team to work harder.
Both agreed the team that performs well in Rawalpindi could well win the series. “The better team won the respective Tests. We in Multan and Pakistan in Lahore, Dravid said. Inzamam also backed his spearhead Shoaib when asked whether he was satisfied with the “Rawalpindi Express” performance. “He is our strike bowler and he bowled well here, and I was happy to see him get back his rhythm in the second innings. He is getting better and hopefully he will be back at his best in his home town,” he said.
He evoked laughter with his one-liner when asked what he thought of Sachin Tendulkar’s failure twice in a Test. “He is a great batsmen, and hopefully this run will continue in the next Test.” Inzamam, when queried whether Dravid’s decision to bat first went against India, said: “I don’t think so. Dravid must have based his decision on the fact that India’s batting lineup was strong. There was nothing in the wicket, except for some life early in the day. Their batsmen did not perform.” Dravid too agreed: “We have batted on wickets that were more difficult then this strip. The only difference was that we did not bat well in both the innings. We needed another 150 to 180 runs to make a match of it. But we could not find these runs either by restricting the lead or by batting well.” “The only thing that was heartening was Yuvraj’s batting and our frontline bowlers, Irfan and Balaji, showing great heart,” he added.
When questioned about the quality of umpiring, Dravid was diplomatic by saying that “it is part and parcel of the game, and both teams should accept the decisions against them.” On Gul’s selection, Dravid said it was “an inspired selection, and we were not prepared for it,” but we will work harder for the remaining Test, adding that every loss is disappointing.
“It hurts when you lose, and we have to work to improve in this area of not letting slip the advantage by losing the next Test after winning the previous one.”
