Memories of Pakistan in Kandy

Hafiz Marikar

Now that the Pakistani cricketers are here, it would be interesting to recall some of their greayts to who played in Kandy now that the third and final Test is to be played in Pallekelle begoinning tomorrow.

I remember the three-day game the Pakistanis played against the Board team at the old Asgiriya ground in the mid 1970's.

The ground was small and outfield very fast. It was not a surprise that the Pakistanis scored around 500 runs. Haroon Rashid was the main run-getter with a big hundred. Sadiq Mohamed, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abas and skipper Intikab Alam were some of the stars in that team.

The most interesting incident about the match was that the temperamental fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz was sent back to Pakistan during the mach. He was accused of alleged bad behavior on the field.

Around eight years later, in May 1985, Salim Malik captained the under 25 team that played against Sri Lanka under 25 team at Asgiriya. In that team there was a young cricketer, who was very good and who went on to become one of his country's great players.

That was the brilliant left handed all rounder Wasim Akram. For the Sri Lankas Roshan Jurampathy took honors with an attacking century.

In Malik's team there was another left arm paceman Azim Hafiz who had only three fingers on his right hand. There was also the famous commentator of today Ramiz Raja in that team.

By this time, Sri Lanka was a Test playing nation. In 1987 the Pakistanis routed Sri Lanka by an innings with two days to spare. Spinners Tausif Ahamed and Abdul Qadir ran riot. There were some controversial moments during that Test when the two Sri Lanka batsmen didn't want to continue batting, complaining that the Pakistanis were upsetting them by passing comments that were disturbing their concentration.

It was probably the most unpleasant series in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka lost the Test in three and half days. Sri Lanka collapazed for 109 and 101 to spinners Tauseef Ahamed and Abdul Quadir, Mudasa Nazar batted well for his 81 runs the highest individual score of the match.

Arjuna Rantunga the man who led the country to win the World Cup, was the only batsman to shine in the second innings making a fifty out of as total of just under 100. Ravi Ratnayake, who was playing on his home ground, was bowled by a Qadir leg break that turned more than a Muralitharan off break.

The Pakistani team returned to the Asgiriya International Stadium in 1994. This time they were captained by Salim Malik. Sri Lanka were shot out for a low score.

The bowler who did most of the damage was Waqar Younis who took seven wickets. One of his famous Yorkers hit Kumar Dahrmasena's toes. He was out LBW and had to hop all the way back to the dressing room Another Kandy product, Ruwan Kalpage, made a brave 50 in the second innings. He was not successful as a bowler with Inzaman hitting him all over the ground. Sri Lanka will meet Pakistan in the 3rd Test at the ew Pallekelle International Stadium beginning tomorrow.

A review of the Pakistan Sri Lanka Unofficial Test Series 1948-1976 Pakistan made its first tour of Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon in March 1949. Pakistan had only a few months earlier played its First unofficial Test, when they met the mighty West Indies Team in November 1948. Pakistan held West Indies to a creditable draw. The scores being Pakistan 241 and 285 for 6 declared. Imtiaz Ahamed 131 and Mohamed Saeed the skipper scored 101 and added 256 for the 4th wicket.

West Indies scored 308 and 98 for 1 wicket. There were no centuries from the West Indies side.

Sri Lanka on the other hand had a long cricket history with 3 day games against visiting International teams and only two weeks earlier had done well - though beaten, against the West Indies.

So Pakistan's first overseas adventure was awaited with great interested. The first ever test against Pakistan was no exception.

The 2nd Test, too, saw Sri Lanka beaten badly. Sri Lanka on its first tour to Pakistan found the weather against them in the 1st test and lost the 2nd test too. It was a repeat performance of the 1949 test, by an innings and by 10 wickets.

In 1964 Pakistan came with an experimental team and were beaten comfortably. In 1966 Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka, in all three tests. In 8 matches it was not an impressive record for Sri Lanka in International cricket.

But it is good to remember that India recorded there first test victory after many years of test cricket and New Zeeland did like wise.

Sri Lanka showed improvement in the 1970's with one of the finest all round teams 1979-1981, in 1975/76 Sri Lanka drew all series.

The first Pakistan team to tour Sri Lanka in 1948 was led by Mohamed Saeed (Army). The rest of the players were Nazar Mohamed (West Punjab), Imtiaz Ahamed (Services), Mohamed Aslam (West Punjab), Anwar Hussain (Sind), M. Alimuddin (Sind), U.R. Chippa (Sind), Murawat Husain (West Punjab), Maqsood Ahamed (West Punjab), Khan Mohamed (West Punjab), Mohamed Amin (West Punjab), M. Shujauddin (West Punjab), Fazal Mohamed (West Punjab), B.G. Iran (Siond), S.A. Rahman (Army), (Manager) K.R. Collector.

Sri Lamka team was from M. Salih, M. Rodrigo, F.C. de Saram, S.S.Jayawickrema, C.V. Abeyasekara, S.Coomaraswamy, R.B. Wijesinghe, M. Kasipillai, G.M. Spittel, L. E de Zoysa, E.B. Nathanielsz, 12th man H.I.Fernando. Reserve F.J.H. de Saram. M. Kasipillai replaced C.I. Guanaekara who was unfit for this game.