India v Pakistan 1952-53
Toss: India
15-Apr-1954
Toss: India. Test debuts: Pakistan - all except A.H.Kardar and Amir Elahi who had previously played for India, Kardar playing as 'Abdul Hafeez'.
The cleverly varied left-arm slow bowling of Mankad on a pitch responsive to spin proved too great an obstacle for Pakistan. Mankad's most deadly spell came after Nazar Mohammed and Hanif Mohammed made 64 for the opening stand. In 16 overs he took six wickets, and his final figures of eight wickets for 52 in the first innings and thirteen wickets for 131 in the match were both new records for Indian Test cricket. Ghulam Ahmed gave good support with off-spinners, but it was as a batsman in a record last-wicket stand of 109 in eighty minutes with Adhikari that he won the admiration of the crowd. Ghulam hit two sixes and five fours. Kardar and Imtiaz Ahmed were Pakistan's only convincing batsmen against spin.