Pakistan 454 [Sarfraz Ahmed 109 ,Younis Ahmed 106 ,Asad Shafiq 89 ,Misbah Ul Huq 69 ,Azhar Ali 53, Mitchel Johnson 3/39, SNJ O’Keefe 2/107 ,N Llyon 2 /148 ] and 286/2 [Ahmed Shehjad 131, Younis Khan 103*] beat Australia 303 [ David Warner 133, CJL Rogers 38 ,MG Johnson 37 , Yasir Shah 3/66, Zulfiqar Babar 2/8] and 216 [ MG Johnson 66, SPD Smith 55, CJL Rogers 43 , Zulfiqar Babar 5 /74 ,Yasir Ali 4/50] by 221 Runs.
A new look Pakistan team teased, tormented, bruised , battered and humiliated Australia in delivering an embracing 221 run defeat in the first of the three matches test series at the desert Dubai.
There were hardly many to view the test match in the barren stadium but many around the world on television and internet witnessed the struggle of Australians on a very different wicket and environment that they are used to.
With a very raw bowling attack Pakistan stunned the mighty Australians overwhelming in all departments of the game. Such a result is only possible for a unpredictable Pakistan which when appears with their A game proves invincible though this come very rarely these days.
Pakistan team in the recent past was going through a bit of a crisis. Their batting looked very poor. After the unexpected suspension of main weapon in their bowling Saeed Aajmal, two other front line bowlers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz also became unavailable through injuries.
The four prong Pakistan attack of Rahat Ali, Imran Khan ( Not to be confused with his namesake legendary Imran), Zufiqar Babar and Yasir Ali were very new to test cricket.
Yasir and Imran made their debut. Moreover, after miserable T20 and ODI series against the same opposition Pakistan had their backs to the wall. Yet they bounced back so strongly showing to the rest of the Cricket World when a team play with strong resolve and commitment anything is possible. Veteran Younis Khan batted like Champion scoring centuries in both innings ( first in 40 years in test Cricket against Australia by any batsman after Glen Turner ), Young Shehzad , Sarfraz scored superb centuries, Azahar Ali, Asad Shafique and Misbah all made significant contributions with the bat.
The brilliant batting with strong applications in the first Innings so effectively laid the foundations that bowlers could exploit the slow low turning tracks to their advantage.
Pakistani new look attack with spin and reverse swing tormented Australians in the first Innings.
None but explosive David Warner had any clue how to bat against mystery leg spin of Yasir and guiles of Zulfqur Babar. If in the first innings Pakistan batted superbly as a team in the second Ahmed Shehzad and Younis batted like gladiators presenting to Australians a mountain to climb.
Australians other than Smith and Johnson found to sadly miss the techniques and skills in combating the spin bowling and accuracy of Pakistanis .Even their fielding was sharp and agile. Pakistan won a well-deserved victory and went 1-0 up in the series.
It is not that the inherent weaknesses of Australian batting against spin on a spinning track was nakedly exposed Australian bowling also looked pretty ordinary which Pakistani batsmen could so masterfully toy with.
It was a comprehensive Pakistan victory where they played a raw bowling attack with their four bowlers taking only 9 test wickets among them before. Two made test debut. The absence of Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Irfan and master craftsman Saeed Aajmal were not even felt at any stage.
After Pakistan got blown out at T20 and ODI series Pakistan ODI captain Shahid Boom Boom Khan Afridi was all at sea how Pakistan can take such a team to ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year.
Pakistan batting looked spineless, bowling got thinner and thinner through injuries. But given the unpredictable nature of Pakistan cricket they bounced back brilliantly as soon as the colored clothes were changed to whites and ball from white to red.
Pakistan looked a completely different team. Other than losing two quick wickets in the first innings early on Pakistan dominated the test at every single session giving Australians no quarter.
David Warner and Chris Rogers tried their level best. But other than Smith and Johnson the rest looked pretty ordinary against quality spin bowling of Zulfiqar Babar and debutant Yasir Ali.
Michael Clark appeared to be completely out of touch. Brad Haddin novicely prodded, Dollan, Marsh never encountered similar situation before. Australians misread the length, tried to play the full length deliveries on the back foot making them ideal candidates for LBW to straighter ones. The batting needs to be improved a lot. Other than Mitchell Johnson other bowlers failed to impress.
Llyon was disappointing. Debutant O’keefe had to absorb planned counter attacks by Pakistan batsmen dancing down the wicket.
Australian strategy of two spinners attack did not work. Hopefully Starc and Maxwell will be given opportunity in the next match.
Pakistan has its tail up. But they have to watch out also a resurging Australia. They learn lessons to quick. Australians for sure won’t make similar mistakes that they made at Dubai.
The next two tests will definitely be very interesting which of all teams India will follow very purposefully.
India is due to visit Australia next though the wickets and environment will be completely different there.
We hope more spectators will turn up in the remaining two tests as test cricket without jam-packed stadium is unfamiliar site in matches involving Pakistan and Australia.
BDST: 0907 HRS, OCT 27, 2014
