Pakistan vs. India, Third Test Jan 29 2006, Day 1 - Dispatch

On a day where the revenge of the bowlers finally played out, and searing pace and scintillating swing got the better of Younis, Sehwag and Dravid alike, the dimunitive figure of the young, innocent Pakistani keeper Kamran stood out tall above all else. Punishing anything short with splendid cuts and pulls, while watchfully playing other deliveries with soft hands, so far his contribution has been the difference between the two teams.

Even for someone like me who has watched cricket being played in the National Stadium in Karachi since the early childhood, it took a few minutes to come to terms with the images of the stadium beaming through the television screen. The outfield was neither rough or too plush, but near perfect and most surprisingly, a bright green outfield not previously seen on this ground. The pitch was just a harder, worked upon extension of the grass surrounding it, much harder than the wimpy surface seen in Lahore but not as bouncy as what we get in Perth. Add on even bounce and a generous proportion of grass left on top by the curators, and from the first ball bowled promised a day full of excitement and for the most gutsy men to dominate.

While much effort has been expended of late on the grounds in Pakistan, same cannot be said of the stadia and environs, which cannot be said to be pleasing to the eye like many other venues around the cricketing world. In this respect too, National Stadium came across as a remarkable surprise, beaming and glistening in the soft sun looking newly decorated just for this event. From the new paint that was evident around the ground, to clean surroundings in the pavilions and comfortable, shady seating for most everyone watching, and the gigantic video screen put up last week, all was ready for large numbers of Karachiites to enjoy the facilities. And, surprisingly, show up they did in large numbers, something not seen for over a decade of test cricket on this ground.

Rest assured, the cricket did not let us down, with 14 wickets tumbling in between a few hard-earned partnerships. It was not surprising to see the Pakistani batsmen succumbing to good deliveries on a seaming wicket due to faulty technique for the most part. The battle between the classy Indian batsmen and the searing pace and accuracy of Shoaib, however, was a treat to watch. Cricket has it’s cruelties, one of which being the frequent occasions when the bowlers on the other end benefit from the unsettling meted out by super-fast, on-target bowling. Shoaib did the same, especially one bouncer to Tendulkar at over 150 km / h that became unavoidable and gave a ferocious shake to the Master batsman’s neck when it hit him smack on the helmet above the right ear. One could see Tendulkar unsettled since and which eventually led him to misplay one on the stumps from Razzaq a few overs later. However, credit must be given to Asif for consistent line and length to keep the pressure on when opening the bowling with Akhtar, something Pakistani fans waited to get from Sami for several years.

So, a day of exciting cricket, immaculate surroundings and a near-even keel in a match that should provide a deciding result on this series. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.