4th December 1995 was a notable date in the history of Pakistan cricket. It was on this day that they beat Australia by 72 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Match figures of nine for 186 saw Mushtaq Ahmed (below) given the man of the match award. The Pakistan team for that match also contained Wasim Akram as captain plus Waqar, Inzamam, Saqlain, Salim Malik and Rammez Raja.
This was the last time that Pakistan beat Australia in a test match. Since then they have played 15 tests and only drawn two of them. Indeed, Australia's supremacy has been so total that they have won the last 12 in a row stretching all the way back to Adam Gilchrist's test debut in November 1999.
Pakistan's record in one day internationals against the same opposition is not much better with only three victories in 23 matches stretching back to 2002. As such, the two tests at Lord's and Headingley against their bogey team, represent a chance for Shahid Afridi's team tantamount to discovering the Holy Grail.
Confidence can't be high though that Pakistan's dysfunctional team can beat the well drilled and competitive Australians. However, victory in both Twenty 20 internationals over the last two days will at least give the mercurial Pakistanis some hope of upsetting the odds.
Afridi was not an obvious captain. Indeed, many thought it would lead to yet more farcical episodes in a catalogue of woe for Pakistan. But the signs so far are good. But for Saeed Ajmal's poor last over, Pakistan would have reached (albeit fortunately, given their performances in the Group matches) the World T20 final.
At the Asia Cup, Pakistan performed creditably and only lost narrowly to Sri Lanka and India whilst Afridi showed that his form was likely to be lifted by the captaincy with typically brutal hundreds against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
But can they get the better over their bogey side over two five day matches? Well, confidence will be high after the Twenty 20 wins and the spirit appears to be good in the side. Pakistan seem to have found a captain that everyone is happy to play under; for now, at least. When you add in the fact that the loud and frenzied support Pakistan will get, which will make both tests feel like home matches, then you have to give them a chance.
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Posted by: Not Fake | Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 18:28