Thriller at Lord’s

Sometimes, in the larger scheme of things, a game is not just a game. For Pakistan the Lord’s Test against England was one such game. Cricketing wise, a win in the Test was important considering that it could set the tone for the rest of the tour that includes three more Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 game. But for Pakistan there were much bigger considerations. After seeing their reputation as a cricket team shattered at the same ground back in 2010 because of the spot-fixing scandal, Pakistan needed to show some magic to restore their image. Very few thought they could, especially against a rampaging England team that was eagerly looking to scalp Pakistan after toying with Sri Lanka earlier this season. Pakistan were also still smarting from an embarrassing first-round exit from the World Twenty20 championship in India. They were short on Test practice having played their previous five-day game in November last year. The odds, in a nutshell, seemed heavily stacked against the visitors. But Misbah-ul-Haq and his men weren’t intimidated. They were on a mission and for four engrossing days at Lord’s fought hard, not just to win the Test but to redeem themselves. They succeeded on the back of heroics from Misbah-ul-Haq, Yasir Shah, Asad Shafiq and others. Misbah became the oldest player in 82 years to score a Test century while Yasir took a ten-wicket haul on his very first Test outside of Asia. Other players like Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir chipped in with valuable contributions.

Pakistan’s 75-run triumph was their first at Lord’s in 20 years and while it might not be enough to completely wash away the stains of the spot-fixing saga – one of the darkest chapters of their cricket history – it certainly is going to help. Amir was back at Lord’s and though he didn’t win the match for Pakistan, the young pacer gave glimpses of his brilliance, especially in the final stages when he picked up two wickets in quick succession. By carrying himself well at Lord’s, Amir has taken a big stride towards redemption. Pakistan, meanwhile, should be pleased with a job well-begun. But it has still a long way to go and the challenge will only get stiffer with the expected return of England’s chief wicket-taking bowler James Anderson at Old Trafford in the second Test which begins from July 22. Having seen Pakistan’s grit and determination, the pressure is now on the home team. The duo of Yasir and Amir has warmed up and is getting excellent support from Rahat. Misbah has made his ambitions clear with a Lord’s ton while Younis Khan is expected to compensate for his below-par showing in the series opener. Following the thriller at Lord’s, the stage is set for an absorbing series, the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time.