May 24,2018, Lord’s.The start of another long international season which sees three international sides touring in the English summer.The first of those sides, Pakistan had only four survivors of their 2016 touring party.They had squared that one winning both London tests.Long gone were the days they had Misbah and Younis (MisYou) in their ranks.
After England were comprehensively beaten in last winter’s ashes and then further embarrassed at 58 in the Auckland test against Kiwis,there were many who would have brushed aside those “away” losses in favour of an easy 2-0 win over a young inexperienced Greenshirts’ side to tour the British Isles for ages.The visitors set foot nearly a month ago after a preparatory camp in Lahore.They had already beaten Ireland in the country’s inaugural test a fortnight ago,albeit a characteristic stutter in the chase.
Misbah’s successor Sarfraz had tasted success on English soil last year as an Odi skipper after a historic Champions trophy campaign that rewarded him with the test captaincy amidst much pomp and ceremony. His first assignment though had ended in humiliation against a similar transitional Sri Lankan side in UAE last October.
Though much criticised by the local media at home, the side selected for the twin series had eight players under 30 and five awaiting test debuts.A notable exclusion was Fawad Alam who was excluded in favour of the highest domestic run scorer,Saad Ali.Faheem Ashraf and Imam ul Haq, handed debuts in the Ireland test had returned performances which temporarily numbed their critics.
England, though is a different setting altogether.They haven’t lost a home series since 2014.May,typically is England’s month.At the home of cricket,with the world’s media watching in a packed house, performance here resonates globally. The opening morning was ideal. Saifi didnt have to decide the toss.Pakistan’s bowling, their stronghold,was in play. They had England at 43/3 following Abbas and Hasan Ali striking early.Then after lunch Faheem broke though with Johnny Bairstow bowled.Cook in ominous form got taken by Amir for 70 and only Stoke with 38 led any resistance as the hosts had collapsed to 184, a 5/19 demise post tea.Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali claimed 4 each.
Now came the hard part. Pakistan had to bat post tea and survive nearly 90 minutes of play.Azhar Ali and Haris coped and ended with 50/1 at stumps.Jitteringly,as is the case with their willows, they had survived.The next morning they slowly raised the score to 87 before Haris departed.Azhar milked a fifty and in the process had provided a platform taking the shine away.Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam scored fifties as well but sufferred different fates to Ben Stokes’ deliveries.Asad was out to a lifting delivery while at 68, Babar succumbed to a ball which broke his wrist and he retired out of the game as well as the series.The skipper added little with a rash stroke before tea which saw them 5 down at less than 250.
Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan dashed opportunistically for a 72 run late blast which swung momentum towards the Greenshirts.It was a timely stand.They had posted 363 by the third morning, which was astonishing by their batting standards.They had enough fuel in the tank to give the hosts a good go at it. Cook had gone early to Abbas who was on song straigtht away and Stoneman was bowled to low leg break close to lunch from the leggie, Shadab. 32/2 meant the writing was on the wall.
Post lunch, Joe Root answered some critics with a 68. Pakistan though chipped away with wickets through the pacers.Amir had 2 in 3 balls. Malan out to Skipper’s scorching take and Johnny Bairstow lost his off stump to the inswinger.When Root was dismissed for 68 with the score at 110, it had left England six down with 69 to save an innings defeat.All over,right ?
In came Jos Butler and the debutant Dominic Bess. Jos banking his place on recent IPL performances played a mobile knock of 66 with his Somerset colleague managing a debut 50.Fatigue was setting for the Greenshirts.England had taken a weary lead at stumps of 56,still having four second innings wkts and all of a sudden another low unachievable chase looked on the cards.The fourth morning produced no such issues. Within 25 balls they had cleaned up the last four with Abbas and Amir sharing four each for the innings. The A A’s were too good.
Knocking in the last 64 runs in the chase, the Greenshirts achieved what only once in 1921,had been done.England losing a test that had begun and ended in May. The young guns had delivered.Mohammad Abbas, a leather factory worker from Sialkot, and the highest wicket taker for Pakistan in his seventh test was named man of the match. Mohammad Amir became the highest Greenshirt wicket taker at Lord’s with his 18th scalp.
Too inexperienced they might be, but they did what few Pakistan teams have done in the past. They maintained discipline in all areas session after session and fielded well, a testimony that they were fit for the job.Its been a few tests only and a much dangerous prospect up North in Headingley awaits.But for now Misbah’s Men of yesterday are sounding more like Sarfraz’s Shababs*.
(Shababs- arabic for youth )
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