After winning the Test status, Pakistan Tours India in 1952-53 gained huge attention in subcontinent fans. This was Pakistan’s first-ever Test series in the cricket history. The baby awarded the tour of India where it played 13 matches including five Tests at New Delhi, Bombay, Lucknow, Madras, and Calcutta. The tour was marred by unsporting events by the Indian crowds and partial umpiring.
The Squads of Pakistan Tours India in 1952-53
The team selected for the tour was: A.H. Kardar (captain), Anwar Hussain Khokhar (Vice-Captain), Fazal Mahmood, Khan Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Nazar Mohammad, Maqsood Ahmed, Mahmood Hussain, Hanif Mohammad, Waqar Hassan, Wazir Mohammad, Amir Elahi, Khurshid Ahmed ( reserve wicketkeeper) Zulfiqar Ahmed, Israr Ali, Khalid Qureshi and Rusi Dinshaw and Mir Mohammad Hussain was the manager of the team.
Later Khalid Ibadulla was sent as reinforcement through Kardar had asked for Asghar Ali, a proficient run-getter and a very brilliant fielder. In fact, Kardar wanted to include this batsman of great potential but could not do so for lack of support for the Karachi player. He deserved a place in the team and Kardar was convinced that he would be a success on that tour.
Kardar told him to keep in readiness as he would call him at the very first opportunity he gets after reaching India. Kardar stuck to his words but did not know that the Board was not ready to oblige him and had its own designs to accommodate a Lahore boy. This was Kardar’s first setback after becoming the captain of the Pakistan team.
Abdul Hafeez Kardar had very high hopes about some of the cricketers including Israr Ali Bhatti, who was an outstanding all-rounder but he lacked the match temperament. He was a failure and Kardar dumped him thereafter.
The very first as the team was to play its first match against North Zone at Jullundur, the birthplace of Israr Ali, but the Board was warned that the team would not be welcomed in that city and the match had to be shifted to Amritsar, the second biggest town of East Punjab.
Hanif Mohammad became the first Pakistani cricketer to score a century in each innings in his very first appearance. In a drawn match Hanif scored 121 in the first innings and followed it up with a polished 190 runs in the second innings. The Indian tour ran into snags.
The first Test was played at New Delhi from 6 to 19th October which India won comfortably by an innings. India batted first to score 372 as Pakistan suffered a setback when Khan Mohammad after claiming the first two wickets pulled his muscle and was out of the remaining part of the tour.
The Pakistan attack was rendered helpless and Indian batsmen scored freely as Vijay Hazare 76, Adhikari 81, and Ghulam Mohammad scored 50 runs respectively. Also, left-hand batsman, Gul Muhammad scored 24, later he was the only person to have played Tests both for and against Pakistan. His only Test appearance for Pakistan against Australia at Karachi during the Aussie’s 1956-57 tour of Pakistan.
Amir Elahi was the most successful bowler claiming four wickets for 134 while Khan Muhammad, Abdul Hafeez Kardar and Fazal Mahmood claimed two wickets each for 52, 53 and 92 runs respectively. Pakistan failed against Vinoo Mankad who claimed 8 wickets for 51 in 47 over’s and followed it up with another 5 for 79 in the second innings to return match figures of 13 wickets for 130 runs.
Pakistan made 132 in the first innings and following on were bowled out for 152 in the second inning. Nazar Muhammad 27 and Hanif Muhammad 51 were the main scorers in the first innings while in the second innings Imtiaz Ahmad made 41 and Kardar remained unbeaten on 43.
However, Pakistan avenged the defeat, winning the second Test played on a matting wicket at Lucknow on the ground at the bank of Ganges River. It was here that Nazar Mohammad came into and batted throughout the innings, scoring 124 runs in a Pakistan total of 324. Hanif scored 34, Maqsood 41 and Zulfiqar 34. Nyal Chand was the most successful Indian bowler claiming three wickets while Lala Amarnath and off-spinner Ghulam Ahmed shared four wickets between themselves.
In reply, India was bundled out for a mere 106, their lowest ever total against Pakistan mainly due to fine bowling by Fazal Mahmood who exploited the matting wicket to good effect and returned figures of 5 for 50 with Mahmood Hussain claiming 3 for 37. Following on, India could manage only182 leaving Pakistan victorious by an innings and 43 runs.
Lala Amarnath and Umrigar were the only Indian batsmen to offer some resistance. Amarnath remained unbeaten with 61 while Umrigar made 32, Fazal Mehmood claimed seven wickets for 42 runs in 27.3 over’s, eleven of which were maidens. Therefore, he returned magic match figures of 12 for 92 runs.
With honors even, Pakistan entered the third Test played at the famed Brabourne Stadium, Bombay. So, before the third Test match, the tourist played first-class matches against Central Zone, at Nagpur, against West Zone at Ahmadabad and the Bombay Cricket Association. All three matches were drawn.
The third Test was very crucial for both the teams and it was here that the Pakistan team suffered because of the unfriendly crowd and the Muslims living this city ultimately came to their rescue by countering the Hindus. Waqar Hassan, who had failed in the Delhi Test. Eventually returned to the team and found that his failure in Delhi was because he had suddenly changed his bat.
A long handle one to the short handle one, and reverted to his old bat. After that he gave a good display, scoring 81 in the first innings and 65 in the second Hanif Muhammad scored 20 in the first innings but in the second he played brilliant innings of 96 runs before he was caught by substitute off Mankad.
Pakistan however, lost the match by ten wickets. Pakistan scored just 186 runs in the first innings and in the second could muster just 241 runs. Vinoo Mankad was again the main wrecker getting eight wickets in the match. India scored 437 for four declared. Vijay Hazare played the most scintillating innings of 146 not out while Polly Umrigar scored a brilliant century with the other Parsi in the team Rusi Modi putting on 82, reducing Pakistan’s attack to naught.
Mahmood Hussain was the only Pakistani bowler to claim three wickets for 121 runs in 31 over’s while Fazal Mehmood could not get a wicket, conceding 111 runs in 39 over’s. Abdul Hafeez Kardar had one wicket for 54. This defeat was naturally very frustrating. The match had to be interrupted several times as spectators in one of the stands used mirrors for reflections which disturbed the batsmen and their concentration. India was now one up in the series and it looked certain that may sweep the series.
The fourth Test was played after Pakistan had faced off a South Zone team at Hyderabad which also ended in a draw. Nazar Muhammad and Hanif Muhammad scored centuries, 156 and 135 runs respectively. While Maqsood Ahmed added 81 runs to Pakistan’s huge total of 414 for six declared.
South Zone replied with 345 for six wickets declared to which Adishesh was the main scorer with 87 while Shamsunder and Aibara put on 55 and 57 runs respectively with Suryanarian remaining not out at 58. Khalid Ibadullah had joined the team after the Bombay Test as reinforcement.
The scene now switched to Madras where the two teams were arrayed against each other for the fourth Test. In the end, Pakistan was able to save thanks to a fine last wicket partnership between Amir Elahi (47) and Zulfiqar Ahmad (63) not out and Pakistan managed to reach a total of 344. The major contributions were Kardar and Waqar scored 79 and 49 runs respectively and Fazal contributed 30 runs.
India had replied with 177 for six when rain washed away the remaining play. Apte 42 and Umrigar 62 were the main Indian batsmen to play with some confidence against Fazal, Kardar and Mahmood Hussain who claimed two wickets each for 50, 38 and 71 runs respectively.
Pakistan’s next match against the Combined Universities team at Bangalore was another drawn affair. The students scored 342 to which R.B. Kenny contributed a handsome 99, missing the coveted figure by just one run. Other scorers were Tamhane 30, Nari Contractor 39, Gopinath 38 and Visbwa Ram 38. Khalid Qureshi claimed four wickets for 90 runs in 41 over’s while Israr Ali took two for 93 off 41 over’s and Zulfiqar had one for 40 off 17 over’s.
In reply, Pakistan was bowled out for just 92 runs in which brothers Hanif and Wazir were the main scorer with 24 and 23 not out respectively. Sunderram 4 for 31 and Ghorpade 6 for 19 were the most outstanding bowlers for the Universities. Following on, Pakistan scored 16 without loss and match ended in a draw but it was a very nerve-racking experience before the fifth and final Test played at Calcutta’s famed Eden Garden ground.
Therefore, in the fifth Test, Pakistan scored 257 through Nazar Muhammad 55, Hanif Muhammad 56, Waqar Hasan 29, Imtiaz Ahmad 57 as Dattu Phadkar ripped through Pakistan’s batting with 5 for 72 in 32 over’s and Ramchand claimed three for 20 in 13 over’s.
