Match reports

PAKISTAN v INDIA 1989-90

At Sialkot, December 9, 10, 11, 13, 14

15-Apr-1991
At Sialkot, December 9, 10, 11, 13, 14. Drawn. Toss: Pakistan. Although a green and seemingly lively pitch held something for the fast bowlers, India were not hard pressed to compile a reasonable total after being put in. The start was delayed until after noon because of early-morning rain. Srikkanth, for the sixth time in the series, and Sidhu were victims of Wasim Akram, but Manjrekar again showed the way with an impeccable innings and Azharuddin stressed his new-found confidence with a half-century full of strokes. Indeed, Pakistan were the side in greater trouble against the moving ball, the Indian bowlers keeping a full length and letting the pitch help the ball seam. Razdan, playing in his second Test, surprised Ramiz Raja, Pakistan's top scorer, and Shoaib Mohammad with his pace and then came back to wind up the innings. India were 74 ahead, which if not promising was an improvement on what had gone before.
On the third day, more time had been lost when those witnessing only the second Test in Sialkot revealed a tendency to pelt the Indian fieldsmen with orange peel and some harder missiles. A draw seemed the obvious result. But on the afternoon of the fourth day the match sprang to life when Akram and Imran reduced India to 38 for four. They were rescued by Sidhu and Tendulkar, who stood firm in a century stand, even though the youngster was bounced repeatedly by the Pakistan pacemen. At one stage umpire Holder had to warn Akram for intimidatory bowling. Tendulkar batted for three and a quarter hours for his second fifty of the series, but Sidhu missed out on what would have been his third Test hundred when he cut a short ball from Zakir Khan to Imran at point. The contest, which had promised much when wickets were falling the previous afternoon, petered out, and the umpires called the match off at tea.
Man of the Match: N. S. Sidhu.
Close of play: First day, India 181-3 (S. V. Manjrekar 72*, R. J. Shastri 5*); Second day, Pakistan 23-1 (Ramiz Raja 9*, Shoaib Mohammad 2*); Third day, Pakistan 181-5 (Imran Khan 21*, Nadeem Abbasi 7*); Fourth day, India 102-4 (N. S. Sidhu 54*, S. R. Tendulkar 33*).