[Today in History] Pakistan’s first defeat in Karachi National Stadium

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The unfortunate day when Pakistan bit the dust unpredictably was when a determined England beat them in Karachi’s National Stadium, the venue green shirts had been undefeated for a hefty 46-year period.

[caption id="attachment_114" align="alignright" width="300"] Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain returning to pavilion after historic victory. The dark in the background shows their determination (Photo: Getty Images)[/caption]

Before the defeat, Pakistan had played a total of 35 Tests, winning 17 and losing as much. The only match Pakistan lost was against England.

The 2000 series was also crucial as it was the England’s first tour to Pakistan since Shakoor Rana-Mike Gatting controversy. For then English captain Nasser Hussain the tour was a big chance to prove himself as he was being widely criticised for his poor performance.

England succeeded to draw the initial two Tests and then the decisive third Tests started in Karachi.

Pakistan scored 405 runs in the first inning, thanks to centuries by Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammad Yousuf). Pakistan managed to take a meagre 17-run lead, finishing England’s innings on 388.

The two long innings stretched the game into the fourth day and the match was seemed to be heading to another draw with one and a half day left.

The hosts were 71 for 3 at the end of the fourth day. On the fifth day, a mix of England’s stunning bowling and Pakistan’s poor performance spoiled the green shirts show and their remaining seven wickets were fallen with an additional 80 runs on the scorecard.

With Pakistan scoring 158 runs in their second inning, England now needed 176 runs to win the game. But despite the low target, England had to put up a one-day like performance as they had only 35 minutes before the tea break and then the last session.

Though England had 44 overs to play, it was not easy for them face Saqlain Mushtaq on the fifth day.

However, what England did want was a win. But in their attempt to play aggressively, they lost their three batsmen on 65, and there are no prizes for guessing that all three were Saqlain’s victims.

With England still requiring 111 runs, Pakistan lulled themselves into a false sense of drawing the match. England’s eyes were on the target and Pakistan’s failure to read their opponents’ mind cost them the match.

Graham Thorpe and Graeme Hick together added a quick 91 runs to England’s scorecard, giving the match a new turn.

When Pakistani captain Moin Khan saw the match and the series wriggling out of the team’s hands, he started pursuing negative tactics. He slowed down the over-rate as low as nine overs an hour.

Now the match entered the most difficult stage for England as they were facing Waqar Younus and Saqlain while the sun was sinking below the horizon.

But, as the saying goes “where there’s a will there’s a way”, England wanted to lift the series at any cost. Ages after the sunset, when even wicketkeeper Moin had to grope around in the dark for the ball, Thorpe led England to victory in the 42nd over, taking two runs on Saqlain’s delivery.

England won the match by six wickets and also clinched the series 1-0. It was the first chance for any English side since 1961 to win a series in Pakistan, and for Nasser, it was no doubt one of the most cherishing moments of his career.

Michael Atherton was awarded player-of-the-match award for scoring 125.

The series marked Pakistan’s first defeat in the Karachi National Stadium in decades, and that too at the hands of England who had been on the wane lately.

The game proved that pursuing negative strategy never helps winning matches. The mistake of slowing over rate in the last moments led Pakistan to defeat. They might have drawn the match had they focussed on using their bowlers efficiently instead of looking for other means.

Because umpires had judged Pakistan’s intentions, they continued the match despite the dark and that helped England make a history.

Scorecard of the unforgettable match

Pakistan vs England, Third Test

December 7-11, 2000

Venue: National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan

Result: England won by six wickets

Player of the match: Mike Atherton

1st innings		Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Saeed Anwar	lbw b Gough	8	17	0	0
Imran Nazir	c Giles b Trescothick	20	42	2	0
Saleem Elahi	b Caddick	28	54	4	0
Inzamam-ul-Haq	c Trescothick b White	142	257	22	0
Yousuf Youhana	c & b Giles	117	242	14	1
Abdur Razzaq	c Hussain b Giles	21	65	3	0
Moin Khan	c Hick b Giles	13	17	1	0
Shahid Afridi	b Giles	10	14	1	0
Saqlain Mushtaq	b Gough	16	80	0	0
Waqar Younis	b Gough	17	55	2	0
Danish Kaneria	not out	0	2	0	0
Extras	(b 3, lb 3, nb 7)	13
Total	(all out; 139.4 overs)	405

 

England bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
D Gough	27.4	5	82	3
Andy Caddick	23	1	76	1
Marcus Trescothick	14	1	34	1
Craig White	22	3	64	1
Ian Salisbury	18	3	49	0
Ashley Giles	35	7	94	4

 

1st innings		Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Mike Atherton	c Moin Khan b Abdul Razzaq	125	430	9	0
Marcus Trescothick	c Imran Nazir b Waqar Younis	13	27	2	0
Nasser Hussain	c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Shahid Afridi	51	209	4	1
Graham Thorpe	lbw b Waqar Younis	18	39	1	0
Alec Stewart	c Yousuf Youhana b Saqlain Mushtaq	29	74	5	0
Graeme Hick	c Shahid Afridi b Waqar Younis	12	29	2	0
Craig White	st Moin Khan b Danish Kaneria	35	96	3	1
Ashley Giles	b Waqar Younis	19	44	2	0
Ian Salisbury	not out	20	82	1	0
Andy Caddick	c Moin Khan b Danish Kaneria	3	11	0	0
Darren Gough	c Yousuf Youhana b Saqlain Mushtaq	18	58	1	0
Extras	(b 12, lb 9, nb 24)	45
Total	(all out; 179.1 overs)	388

 

Pakistan bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Waqar Younis	36	5	88	4
Abdur Razzaq	28	7	64	1
Shahid Afridi	16	3	34	1
Saqlain Mushtaq	52.1	17	101	2
Danish Kaneria	47	17	80	2

 

2nd innings		Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Saeed Anwar	c Thorpe b Caddick	21	33	3	0
Imran Nazir	c †Stewart b Gough	4	16	1	0
Saleem Elahi	c Thorpe b Giles	37	136	3	0
Inzamam-ul-Haq	b Giles	27	45	4	0
Saqlain Mushtaq	lbw b Gough	4	19	1	0
Yousuf Youhana	c †Stewart b White	24	64	4	0
Abdur Razzaq	c Atherton b Giles	1	41	0	0
Moin Khan	c Hussain b White	14	33	1	0
Shahid Afrid	not out	15	25	2	0
Waqar Younis	run out (†Stewart)	0	2	0	0
Danish Kaneria	lbw b Gough	0	9	0	0
Extras	(b 3, lb 5, nb 3)	11
Total	(all out; 70 overs)	158

 

England bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Darren Gough	13	4	30	3
Andy Caddick	15	2	40	1
Ashley Giles	27	12	38	3
Ian Salisbury	3	0	12	0
Craig White	12	4	30	2

 

2nd innings (target: 176 runs)		Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Mike Atherton	c Saeed Anwar b Saqlain Mushtaq	26	33	5	0
Marcus Trescothick	c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Saqlain Mushtaq	24	29	3	1
Alec Stewart	c †Moin Khan b Saqlain Mushtaq	5	16	0	0
Graham thorpe	not out	64	98	4	0
Graeme Hick	b Waqar Younis	40	64	2	0
Nasser Hussain	not out	6	8	0	0
Extras	(b 8, lb 2, w 1)	11
Total	(4 wickets; 41.3 overs)	176

 

Pakistan bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Waqar Younis	6	0	27	1
Abdur Razzaq	4	0	17	0
Saqlain Mushtaq	17.3	1	64	3
Danish Kaneria	3	0	18	0
Shahid Afridi	11	1	40	0