Pakistan v West Indies

At Karachi, March 1, 2, 3, 5, 6. Drawn. A heroic not out innings of 98 by Sadiq Mohammad, played under the handicap of a nasty and painful facial injury, saved Pakistan from defeat, although another crucial factor was the loss of two and a half hours play on the second day due to a crowd disturbance.

It occurred during Pakistan's first innings when Wasim Raja completed his century. The intrusion on the ground by a few spectators to congratulate their hero soon turned into a major invasion. Police intervened, as they had to, and the situation became totally chaotic.

In like circumstances during the Indian leg of the tour, Mr. Alexander, the West Indies manager, had negotiated unsuccessfully with the Indian Board for lost time to be made up. In this instance, however, he himself was disinclined to play extra time, saying that in the heat of Karachi his players could not be expected to play for more than six hours.

Both sides topped 400 in the first innings, West Indies falling only just short of 500. On a good, easy-paced pitch, Majid Khan scored a superb century, but West Indies had the better of the first day's play, the Pakistan score being 246 for six. On the second, Wasim Raja and Wasim Bari put on 128 for the seventh wicket to take away the tourists' advantage.

Pakistan declared before the start of the third day, which West Indies ended at 319 for four. The only wicket Pakistan captured cheaply that day was Richards's. Kallicharran, with sixteen 4's, made an exciting century, his sixth in Test matches. He took 20 runs off one over from Asif Masood. He and Lloyd, batting with customary belligerence for 73, added 139 for the fourth wicket in under two hours.

On the fourth day, the Pakistan bowling was belaboured by Julien, who made the second Test century of his career. He was let off three times and a pull by him inflicted Sadiq's injury. He was fielding at short-leg. Wasim Raja was also injured in the field. He damaged ligaments in the ankle, which had to be put in plaster.

Depressed by these events, Pakistan in their second innings were 90 for five, and seemed doomed. Roberts and Boyce removed Zaheer Abbas and Mushtaq Mohammad in their opening overs and at 61, Majid Khan became the first of three run out victims. Intikhab Alam doggedly resisted for an hour helped Asif Iqbal to steady Pakistan's rocking boat.

The very first ball on the last day led to Bari being run out and at 148, Asif was out for 77. Sadiq, despite so much pain that he could hardly turn his head, batted with courage and resilience for the remainder of the Pakistan innings.

Sarfraz Nawaz stayed with him for two hours, causing West Indies so much exasperation that Roberts at one stage bowled him three bumpers in a row and earned a warning from the umpire. Together Sadiq and Sarfraz added 40.

Sadiq was 98 when the ninth wicket fell and although Pakistan had got sufficiently ahead to save the match, Raja came out in a bid to help Sadiq get a well-deserved century, but he could not survive. Only twenty-five minutes were left when the innings ended, West Indies needing 170 to win.