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National Stadium - lucky Test venue for Pakistan

By Khalid H Khan
22 October 1998



KARACHI, Oct 21: No Test venue on home soil has proved luckier for Pakistan than the National Stadium, Karachi (NSK) here where the home side is yet to be defeated in 32 Tests.

Pakistan have won exactly half of these matches - 16 - while the rest were drawn.

The only time Pakistan ever looked like losing their remarkable 44-year-old unbeaten streak at this ground was four years ago in that thrilling opening Test of the 1994-95 series against their current opponents.

On that occasion, Pakistan, who were set a target of 314, were facing a certain defeat when last man Mushtaq Ahmed joined Inzamam-ul-Haq with the scoreboard showing 258 for nine. However, the pair saw Pakistan through to their narrowest victory (by one wicket) in unbroken stand of 57 on an unforgettable last afternoon.

That match was also the start of Mark Taylor's tenure as Test skipper. For the record, the Australian skipper 'celebrated' the occasion with a duck in each innings of that match to provide the first and only instance in Test history.

Against Australia, Pakistan have won five of seven Tests here, including the last four.

Before the start of this Test, Pakistan have played 115 Tests on home soil (won 42, lost 13, drawn 60) out of 250 overall (won 71, lost 57, drawn 122).

Likewise, Australia have featured in 583 Tests, winning 245, losing 164 and drawing 171 with two ending in a tie.

The highest total achieved on this ground is 565 for nine declared by Pakistan against New Zealand in 1976-77. The lowest score in a completed innings is 80 by Australia in the inaugural Test between these countries in 1956-57.

Javed Miandad, who has led Pakistan to their biggest victory in a Test (an innings and 188 runs on this very ground), has also the honour of scoring the highest individual innings here - 211 against Australia in 1988-89.

Imran Khan's eight for 60 against India in 1982-83 is the best bowling analysis in an innings while Fazal Mahmood's 13 for 114 against Australia (in 1956-57) are the best match figures at the National Stadium.

Current Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail (160) and Ijaz Ahmed (151) recorded the highest partnership for any wicket at National Stadium when they put on 298 for the first-wicket against the West Indies in the last Test played here (in 1997-98).

Will number 33 prove lucky for Pakistan?

Pakistan-Australia Tests at National Stadium


Source: Dawn
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