Pakistan's 10 wickets win over World #1:


        The first match of England Vs Pakistan Test Series started on January 17. Pakistan were expected to perform good against the giants, as Pakistan had a good last year in test cricket. But all those performances were against comparatively weaker teams. On that morning, English captain - Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat first. His decision proved wrong when his team's top 5 batsmen had gone back to dressing-room  for just the total of 43 runs in 21st over. Saeed Ajmal had picked up 3 big guns - Strauss, KP, and Bell till then. He picked these three wicket just in his first 10 deliveries. Saeed Ajmal picked total 7 wickets in the 1st innings as he later got the wickets of Morgan, Broad, Tremlett, and Anderson. Ajmal's figures were 7/55 in 24 & half overs, of which 7 overs were maiden. With the outstanding performance of Ajmal - The DOOSRA Man - Pakistan managed to bowled out #1's for just the small total of 192 runs. 
       

Saeed Ajmal - appealing excitedly

        Pakistan started their 1st innings on the end of Day-1, and the start was impressive by the both consistent openers. They scored 42/0 in 15 overs. Pakistan started the 2nd day nicely. Both the openers scored their fifties.England were playing with their best lot - Broad, Anderson, Swann, & Tremlett - but they could not break the opening partnership till  35th over. Toufeeq got out on 58, when Pakistan's total was 114 in 35.5 overs. Azhar Ali couldn't stand in there for some time and was caught behind on a bit wide delivery of Broad. Hafeez continued his good form and made 88. He got out on an appeal of Swann for LBW. He really threw his wicket. Pakistan's skipper played a slow knock of 52. Younus was bowled by a part-time bowler - Trott. Asad Shafiq also failed in scoring big runs. At the end of  the 2nd day of match, Pakistan were 288/7. The lead of Pakistan was just of 96 runs - which was not looking good enough to disturb England. Adnan Akmal scored crucial 61 to take Pakistan's lead to 146 and total to 338. Swann managed to get 4 wickets.

Swann & co. - celebrating on Misbah's dismissal in last moments of the  2nd day's play.

     England once again failed in showing their batting skills against Pakistan's quality bowling attack, and bowled out for just 160 runs - adding merely 14 runs above Pakistan's lead. None of their batsmen could make reasonable score, except Trott, who showed some resistance and made 49 runs. Their top order batsmen performed dreadfully bad shots. Both the openers - Strauss & Cook - just threw their wickets. KP also failed on No. 4 position. Bell couldn't pick Ajmal's variation. Umer Gul was the pick of bowlers this time, as he bagged 4 crucial wickets of Cook, Strauss, Trott, and KP. Ajmal disturbed the English again by his variety - Doosra & "Teesra" - and took three wickets, and completed his 10 Wicket Haul in a test match. Abdur-Rehman got 3 wickets with a chance of Hat-Trick. 

PCT - enjoying on the dismissal of Bell         

       Pakistan had the target of 15 runs, which Hafeez scored lonely. Pakistan won the match handsomely by ten wickets. The DOOSRA Man - Saeed Ajaml was named Man of the Match for his extra-ordinary figures in both innings. Misbah's captaincy was at its climax. Timely bowling changes and field placings made the test match one of his best matches as skipper. He is really doing well in his this role. PCB should back him to get the good results in future too. England were totally flopped in batting. Their bowling was also not so impressive as it was in England or Australia. They were playing with their best lot - Broad, Anderson, Swann, & Tremlett - but they could not break the opening partnership till  35th over. At the end, I have to say that Pakistan out-classed England in every department of game. But one can't forget that they are the #1 side in the world, and have the ability to comeback strongly. So Pakistan must not relax even for a moment, and should come with more homework in next match starting from January 25.


[Pictures & Stats: courtesy ESPNCricinfo]