CricketViewer.com

Gadafi Stadium lahore hosted first test match between Pakistan and India. The wicket was speculated to help the batsman. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat. After couple of early wickets, Younis Khan and Muhammad Yousuf build up a partnership with Yousuf making 173 runs. Younis was unfortunate to got out on 199 and became first batsman in test history to run out on 199 (7th bastman in test history and 2nd besides Mudussir Nazar to got out on 199). Although Younis and Yousuf played brilliantly and entertained the spectators well, but the real treat to watch was batting from Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal with Afridi making 103 runs. He made 26 runs in one over, one run short of test record of highest runs in one over. He later stated that he was trying to break the record of highest sixes in one over. Harbajjan Singh became the second most expensive bowler to give maximum runs in one test over. Kamran Akmal also displayed his batting magic and made 102 notout. Akmal proved that he is the best wicket-keeper bastman today.

Indian response was equally massive. Sehwag and Dravid opened the innings and it seemed that they have glued to the pitch. Pakistani bowlers tried their best, especially Shoaib Akhtar who bowled some of the best deliveries of his life, but they were unable to break the confidence and defences of the duo. Sehwag eventually progressed to make 254. Dravid made 128 runs notout.

Good part of the match got wasted due to bad lights and hence the match ended in a draw.

The pitch was truly a batsman’s dream come true. Seamers like Irfan Pathan from india, Rana Naveed and Sami from Pakistan failed to take benefit from it. Although Rana got the sole wicket from Pakistan, he proved too expensive. Shoaib Akhtar was the most economical of the lot. 1089 runs were scored and only 8 wickets fall in the match.

Technorati Tags: Gadafi Stadium, lahore, Pakistan, India, Younis Khan, Muhammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Irfan Pathan, Rana Naveed, Shoaib Akhtar