The eighth wonder! (12 March 1999)

12 March 1999

The eighth wonder!

Hasan Masood

The final of the inaugural Asian Test Championship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka

will be landmarked in 120 years of Test cricket history as the first match to be played at a neutral venue.

Moreover, unlike the 1447 Test matches played so far, this is for the first time that both the teams will go on to the field knowing that there are as many as five options to decide a winner, should the match end in a tame draw.

This will be the eighth Test match in Dhaka. Seven previous Tests were played in Dhaka (Dacca), the then capital of East Pakistan, from 1955 to 1969 before the independence of Bangladesh.

The first Test at the Dhaka Stadium, as it was known before naming it Bangabandhu National Stadium last year, was held between Pakistan and India in January 1955. The match started on the first day of the year. The newly-built Dhaka Stadium then had the maximum capacity of accommodating 15,000 spectators.

According to an old follower of Dhaka cricket, the full house crowd gave a standing ovation to both the captains, Abdul Hafeez Kardar and Vinoo Mankad, as they walked out to toss.

The match was drawn.

The next match at the Dhaka Stadium was played between Pakistan and New Zealand from November 7 to 12 the same year.

This match was specially significant for legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad, who scored his maiden Test century (103). Besides, his compatriot Khan Mohammad returned with his career best bowling figures of 6 for 21. This match also ended in a draw.

The third Test was played at the Dhaka Stadium between Pakistan and West Indies in March 1959.

In the low-scoring match, Pakistan recorded their only Test win at Dhaka by 41 runs, mainly because of their famous fast bowler Fazal Mahmood, who took 12 wickets, six in each innings, for 100 runs.

Then came Australia in the November of the same year under the leadership of Richie Benaud and they defeated Pakistan by eight wickets. This was also Pakistan's only Test defeat at Dhaka.

The fifth Test at the Dhaka Stadium was played in January 1962 between Pakistan and England. Although the match ended in a draw, it was a personal landmark for Hanif Mohammad who scored centuries (111 and 104) in both the innings.

The next match was also played between Pakistan and England after seven years in February 1969.

The most notable feature of the match was the presence of all-rounder Basil D'Oliveira, who scored an unbeaten 114 in the first innings.

The last, but not the least, Test between Pakistan and New Zealand was played in November of the same year.

Kiwi skipper Glen Turner hammered a century (110) in that match, which also concluded in a draw.

Pakistan v India (January, 1955)

Toss: Pakistan.

Pakistan: 257 (Waqar Hasan 52, Imtiaz 54, Ghulam Ahmed 5/109) and 158 (Alimuddin 51, Waqar Hasan 51, SP Gupte 5/18)

India: 148 (PH Punjabi 26, P Umrigar 32, Ramchand 37, Mahmood Hussain 6/67, Khan Mohammad 4/42) and 147 for 2 ( P Roy 67*, V Manjrekar 74*)

Result: Match drawn.

Pakistan v New Zealand (November,1955)

Toss: New Zealand.

New Zealand: 70 (McGibon 29*, Khan Mohammad 6/21, Fazal 3/34) and 69 for 6 (Khan Mohammad 2/20, Kardar 2/21)

Pakistan: 195 for 6 declared (Hanif Mohammad 103, W Mathias 41, Reid 2/67)

Result: Match drawn.

Pakistan v West Indies (March, 1959)

Toss: West Indies.

Pakistan: 145 (W Mathias 64, Shujauddin 26, Hall 4/28, Ramadhan 3/45) and 144 (W Mathias 45, Saeed Ahmed 22, Atkinson 4/42, Hall 4/29, Ramadhan 2/10)

West Indies: 76 (Sobers 29, Fazal 6/34, Nasimul Ghani 3/4) and 172 (Sobers 45, Cammie Smith 39, Fazal 6/66, Mahmood Hussain 4/48)

Result: Pakistan won by 41 runs.

Pakistan v Australia (November, 1959)

Toss: Australia.

Pakistan: 200 ( Hanif 66 DA Sharpe 56, Davidson 4/42, R Benaud 4/69) and 134 (DA Sharpe 35, Ijaz 20, Mackay 6/42, R Benaud 4/42)

Australia: 225 (Harvey 96, Davidson 66, Fazal 5/71) and 112 for 2 (McDonald 44*, Harvey 30)

Result: Australia won by 8 wickets.

Pakistan v England (January, 1962)

Toss: Pakistan.

Pakistan: 393 for 7 declared (Javed Burki 140, Hanif 111, Saeed 69, Lock 4/155) and 216 ( Hanif 104, Alimuddin 50, Lock 4/70, DA Allen 5/30)

England: 439 (G Pullar 165, Barber 86, Barrington 84, D'Souza 4/94) and 38 for no loss.

Result: Match drawn.

Pakistan v England (February, 1969)

Toss: Pakistan.

Pakistan: 246 (Mushtaq Mohammad 52, Asif Iqbal 44, J Snow 4/70) and 195 for 6 declared ( Majid Khan 49*, Saeed 33, Underwood 5/94)

England: 274 (BL D'Oliveira 114*, D Graveny 46, Parvez Sajjad 4/75) and 33 for no loss.

Result: Match drawn.

Pakistan v New Zealand (November,1969)

Toss: New Zealand.

New Zealand: 273 (G Turner 110, MG Burgess 59, Intikhab 5/91) and 200 (MG Burgess 119*, Dowling 26, Intikhab 5/91)

Pakistan: 290 for 7 declared (Asif Iqbal 92, Shafqat Rana 65, Howarth 4/85) and 51 for 4.

Result: Match drawn.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)