How Pakistan's Bowlers have Tormented England
While no series brings with it as much excitement as Pakistan vs India, it is also true that no series provides for nerve wrecking and dramatic test victories for Pakistan the way a test series against England does.
From Fazal Mahmood in 1954 to Saeed Ajmal in 2012, Pakistan's pacers and spinners have been tormenting England's batsmen in tests and orchestrating test wins in games Pakistan had no business winning.
Imran Khan and Mudassar Nazar did it in the 80s; Wasim-Waqar-Mushtaq did throughout the 90s; Shoaib Akhtar-Danish Kaneria-Saqlain Mushtaq did in the 2000s; and most recently Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman did it in the 2010s.
Given the way some of the Pakistan vs England tests have unraveled in the past, I am looking forward to witnessing Yasir Shah run through the England batting line up on the final afternoon of a test match while chasing a moderate target.
It has happened repeatedly against England and it may as well happen again.
Fazal Mahmood single handedly and successfully defended 168 at the Oval in 1954.
Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed combined to bowl England out for 243 after they were 168-1 on the final afternoon at Lord's in 1996 to win a match that was heading towards a draw.
Wasim Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed did something similar at the Oval in 1996, bowling England out for 242 after they had reached 136-1 to ensure that the game ends in a draw.
Waqar Younis and Saqlain Mushtaq ran through England and bowled them out for 261, after they were 146-0, at Old Trafford in 2001 to win a match that was heading towards a draw.
Shoaib Akhtar and Danish Kaneria combined to bowl England out for 175, 22 runs short of a moderate target of 198, which should have been easily achieved, in Multan in 2005.
Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman crushed England, bowling them out for a mere 72 in Abu Dhabi in 2012. All England needed for a win was 145!
These are victories forever etched in the memories of Pakistan fans purely because of the way they were achieved. On the back of magical spells that struck on England like a bolt of lightning leaving them clueless about what hit them!
It is victories like this that make being a Pakistan fan so damn exciting!
I dont think Pakistan has scripted such test wins against other opposition, which is what makes a test series against England all the more exciting for me.
I can't wait for the test match to get underway tomorrow.
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Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Watch live cricket.... Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming
Austrailia vs West Indies 1st Test Live Streaming