FIVE MEMORABLE TESTS DOWN UNDER BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND AUSTRALIA
THE FIRST WIN - Sydney 1977
After arriving in Australia following a bitter dispute with their board, Pakistan drew the first Test in Adelaide before being belted in the second Test in Melbourne. On a mottled pitch at the SCG however Sarfraz Nawaz and a previously unheralded Imran Khan rolled Australia for 211 after Greg Chappell opted to bat first. Asif Iqbal, supported by Javed Miandad, made a century to put Pakistan in front and after Khan took 6-63 to claim 12 wickets for the Test, the tourists easily made the 32-run target to claim their first Test win on Australian soil by eight wickets.
THE FIGHT - Perth 1981
The result of the November 1981 Test at the WACA was a comfortable 286-run victory for Australia but it was an incident between Dennis Lillee and Javed Miandad which made the match memorable and infamous. Miandad was Pakistan's captain, an abrasive character leading a team divided. Lillee was Australia's snarling pace spearhead. So when the pair collided as Miandad ran a single it sparked one of the most notorious on-field clashes in Test history. It ended with umpire Tony Crafter standing between Lillee who was standing in a fighting stance as Miandad wielded his bat menacingly. After arguments between both teams, Lillee was fined and banned for two one-day internationals while Miandad received no punishment.
THE GILCHRIST ARRIVAL - Hobart 1999
Playing in his second Test, Adam Gilchrist produced the innings that would send him on the path to become a genuine superstar as Australia completed an unlikely comeback in Hobart. With a pace attack featuring Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis as well as Shoaib Akhtar and tricky spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, Australia's hopes of chasing down 369 for victory seemed impossible when Gilchrist joined Justin Langer at the crease at 5-126. Cue Gilchrist belting an unbeaten 149 off 163 deliveries as he and Langer (127) shared a 238-run partnership to take Australia to a remarkable four-wicket victory.
THE TAINTED TEST - Sydney 2010
Australia looked dead and buried when they arrived at the SCG ahead of day four. Having conceded a 206-run first innings deficit, Australia had an 80-run lead with just two second innings wickets remaining. But Pakistan oddly began the day with defensive fields, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal had already dropped Michael Hussey three times the day before and the Australian would go on to make a century in a 123-run ninth-wicket partnership with Peter Siddle. Nathan Hauritz then took five wickets as Pakistan collapsed to be all out for 139 and slip to a 36-run defeat. The game has since been tainted with allegations of match-fixing, although nothing has ever been proven.
THE NARROW ESCAPE - Brisbane 2016
Australia looked home and hosed after first-innings centuries to Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb helped them establish a commanding 287 first innings lead. After scoring 5-202 at five an over Australia declared their second innings to set Pakistan a world-record 490 for victory. Even with Asad Shafiq unbeaten on 100 heading into day five, Pakistan were still 108 behind their target with just two wickets remaining. Shafiq, however, batted on, and the target went below 50 without a wicket falling. Just as a remarkable win loomed Shafiq fell for 137 and then captain Smith threw down the stumps to run out Yasir Shah. Australia had won and Pakistan had fallen by just 39 runs after making 450.
Australian Associated Press
