Bangalore Test 1987 by Naved Yazdani

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Scorecard:

India v Pakistan

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DateLine: 28th February 2005

 

March 13, 1987 will always stand out in my memory as a special day. It was my first day as a husband since I got married the previous night and was on top of the world but the only thing keeping my feet on the ground was the worry that Pakistan had slumped to 116 all out on the first day of the last test between Pakistan and India at Bangalore. All the four tests prior to this game had ended in draw but this game promised a result right from the start.

 

At 126 for 4, India looked set to take a big first innings lead but the spin twin of Pakistan (Tauseef Ahmed and Iqbal Qasim) had other ideas and ensured that last six wickets could add only 19 runs and Indian innings closed at 145 all out. To me that was the turning point of the game when Pakistan did not allow India to amass a huge lead.

 

With only 29 runs behind, Imran realized that each run is going to be important on this already deteriorating track and sent Miandad to open the innings. Pakistan played with a lot of purpose and grit and team spirit. The gutsy keeper Saleem Yousaf played a great little innings of 41 not out and Pakistan was able to post a score of 249 in the second innings.

 

When Indian came out to bat in their second innings, they required 221 to win and the match was wide open with a little tilt towards Pakistan as the pitch became more and more difficult to play with each passing over. But it was the great Waseem Akram who gave Pakistan the first scent of victory when he had Srikant and Mohinder Amarnath on successive deliveries to make India 15 for 2. I can hardly forget my feelings of pure joy and glee as I watched, at first, Srikant having no answer to a quick delivery from Waseem which darted back in and trapped him in front of the wickets and then the next delivery to Amarnath just took off from no where and the great batsman could do nothing except hanging his bat in hope, Saleem Yousaf behind the stumps did the rest. Pakistan kept on taking wickets but at 180 for 7, India looked in driving seat as Gavaskar was still at crease at 97. No doubt Gavaskar had played a great knock so far but those were good (or bad?) old days of local umpires and he got the benefit of non existent doubts on at least three occasions. But now his time was up and he gloved a rising and spinning delivery from Iqbal Qasim to be snapped up by Rizwan waiting in the close-in ring of fielders. Shivlal Yadau did not last long and at 185 for 9, we were only one wicket away from winning a test series on the Indian soil for the first time. Roger Binny was joined by Maninder Singh and in desperation Binny hit Tauseef for a six. Imran, like a great leader, calmed his bowler down and told him not to worry. “You are going to get him” was what the skipper told Tauseef and when India were 16 short of the target, Binny attempted another wild shot but edged it straight to Yousaf behind the stumps who without looking at the umpire ran towards the pavilion. And when whole of Pakistan team started celebrating, the umpire had to raise his finger. The moment that reluctant finger went up, Pakistan and Imran had realized yet another dream; to beat India in a full test rubber in front of their own crowds!

 

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2005 Naved Yazdani)