This is a match report of the Pakistan v Australia First Test at Karachi played on September 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20, 1988. Experienced batsman Javed Miandad laid the foundation for Pakistan’s 10th victory in 29 Test matches against Australia by an innings and 188 runs, which was achieved with relative ease. It was a personal triumph for Javed Miandad, who was reinstated as Pakistan’s captain after Imran Khan announced his non-availability for the current series against Australia due to harsh weather conditions.
The captaincy issue remained undecided until a week before the first test, primarily because Miandad was unwilling to act as a temporary caretaker. Finally, the Board agreed to appoint him for an indefinite period, which, shortly, includes the Sharjah Cup and the tours of Australia and New Zealand later in the winter. This decision implied that Imran would have to play under Miandad, but later indications were that Javed Miandad would be happy to remain as deputy whenever Imran Khan was available.
With his position as Pakistan captain temporarily secured, Javed Miandad gave his team a good turn by winning the toss and batting first on a wicket, which was a real turner from the first day. Pakistan went into the first Test with three spinners, as both Wasim Akram and Imran were not available. On this dusty track, it was Bruce Reid who provided his side with a magnificent breakthrough by first bowling Mudassar Nazar around his legs and then getting Ramiz Raja caught by new wicketkeeper Ian Healy.
However, the early breakthrough was followed by a splendid third-wicket partnership of 196 runs between Shoaib Mohammed and Javed Miandad. Both had to apply all their professional skills to provide the foundation for Pakistan to build a winning total. Shoaib Muhammad was bowled by a superb leg-cutter from Steve Waugh. But, though the Australians fielded quite well during the first day and the opening session of the second day, their bowlers at no stage posed any problem for the Pakistani batsmen despite the venom in the wicket, which enabled night-watchman Tauseef Ahmed to score 35, his highest in Test cricket.
Salim Malik lived a charmed life, and from this point on, the Australian fielding became shabby, requiring half a dozen chances and misfielding quite regularly. Surprisingly, Allan Border under-bowled himself on a wicket that suited him more than any other Australian bowler, but it was Javed Miandad 211 runs that ensured a winning total of 469 for Pakistan. This was Javed Miandad fifth Test double-century, and his consistency during the last three series is ample proof of his professional maturity.
Australia, after losing their first wicket at 19, never recovered and, at one stage, had seven wickets down for 106. An unbeaten 54 by Peter Taylor and a plucky 26 by Healy were the only redeeming features of an innings in which Australian batsmen never showed the technical skill to cope with the Pakistani spinners, especially Iqbal Qasim, who got five for 35 in 39 overs, including 24 maidens. The under-prepared wicket was a little too much for the Australians and their performance in the second innings was even worse.
The trio of Pakistani spinners, Iqbal Qasim, Abdul Qadir, and Tauseef Ahmed, never let them off the hook. Iqbal Qasim, whose days in Test cricket seemed over when he was given the Assistant Managership during the last tour of England as a reward for his outstanding performance in India, returned match figures of nine for 84. The Australians were outclassed and had Pakistan prepared similar wickets for the remaining Tests, they would have had little hope of survival.
Ironically, the Australian strategy of having four left-handed batsmen in the team to counter Abdul Qadir proved their undoing as they proved to be more suspect against Iqbal Qasim on a turning wicket. Bobby Simpson called the Karachi wicket the ‘worst he had seen in 30 years’ and went on to accuse umpires Mahboob Shah and Khizar Hayat of biased umpiring. Earlier, manager Colin Egar had leveled similar allegations during the second day of the match. Thus, the series had started on a bitter note, and it remained to be seen how it progressed under such strained conditions.
Result: Pakistan won by an innings and 188 runs.
Toss: Pakistan.
Debut: I.A. Healy.
Pictures Adrian Murrell
Pakistan’s kingpins are Iqbal Qasim (left) with match figures of 9-84 and Javed Miandad (211), his fifth Test double hundred.
