Wisden
First Test Match

PAKISTAN v INDIA 1989-90

Toss: India.

The intrusion of a zealot who became involved in a scuffle with the Indian captain, Srikkanth, provided a contentious moment on the opening day and led to the strengthening of security at the National Stadium. For Pakistan it was a day of consolidation, with Shoaib Mohammad setting the trend for slow but steady scoring as the Indian new-ball bowlers, Prabhakar and Kapil Dev, established a hold which the Pakistan batsmen never shook off during the series. It was Imran Khan who injected the dynamism Pakistan were looking for, batting for 201 minutes and hitting a six and seventeen fours in his unbeaten 109, his fifth Test century. India, in desperate trouble at 85 for six against the wiles of Wasim Akram and the pace of the newcomer, Waqar Younis, staged a recovery through Kapil Dev and Shastri, who added 78 for the seventh wicket. Shastri and More then saw India beyond the follow-on figure in an eighth-wicket partnership worth 57.

Pakistan were batting again by the third day, but were unable to force the pace against Kapil, swinging the old ball, and Prabhakar. Shoaib was an hour over 1 run in the final session, and only when Salim Malik moved into his stride on the fourth day did the home side make their runs at the desired rate. Malik, dominated his 141-run partnership with Shoaib, and he and Imran then put on 55 in eight overs before the declaration left India to make 453 off 102 overs or bat through four sessions to save the match. Manjrekar, the find of India's tour to the West Indies, led their defensive action, reaching his second Test century in five hours nineteen minutes (221 balls, thirteen fours) and batting with utmost competence. He and Sidhu, who battled against an attack which was missing Younis with a strained back, added 135, a record for India's second wicket against Pakistan.

This was Kapil Dev's 100th Test, and with his third wicket he became the fourth bowler to take 350 Test wickets. He also became the first bowler to play in 100 Tests, a singular achievement in a career in which he had missed only one Test match - and that through a controversial disciplinary action by selectors. At the other end of the spectrum, Tendulkar made his début at the age of 16 years 205 days. In Pakistan's first innings, Azharuddin, dropped from the Test side on the eve of the match and playing only because Lamba pulled out owing to a toe injury, equalled the world record by a fielder of five catches in an innings with some brlliant takes in the slips.

Man of the Match: Kapil Dev.

Close of play: First day, Pakistan 259-4 (Javed Miandad 76*, Imran Khan 17*); Second day, India 157-6 (R. J. Shastri 25*, Kapil Dev 49*); Third day, Pakistan 106-3 (Shoaib Mohammad 46*, Salim Yousuf 3*); Fourth day, India 86-1 (N. S. Sidhu 34*, S. V. Manjrekar 14*).

© John Wisden & Co