Historic win.

PAKISTAN'S emphatic Test win over Sri Lanka at Karachi's National Stadium on Monday has proved to be historic in many ways. More importantly, it has signalled a turnaround for the home team after a dismal year of cricket. The two-match series marked the return of Test cricket to the country after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009 had put paid to international tours to Pakistan. The return of the game proved to be a rejuvenating factor for the Pakistan side that put up a sterling show to outplay the rivals by 263 runs and win the series 1-0. The earlier Test played in Rawalpindi had ended in a stalemate because of rain. For Pakistan's 11 players, it was for the first time that they appeared in a Test match in Karachi and they simply shone in front of the home crowd. It was akin to making their Test debuts all over again, and the electrifying feeling was clearly translated in their game.

The very team, give or take a couple of players, that had stumbled in Australia and succumbed to successive inning defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide, sprung back to life to turn in a memorable performance. Everything came together for Pakistan in the Karachi Test that was only the second occasion in the annals of the game when the top...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT