Pakistan squash rebels and beat Sri Lanka by 204 runs

A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: As in politics, so in sport. The time tested theory of political history has it that the best way to calm down internal rebellion is by scoring a popular international victory.

Javed Miandal at a certain time, turned out to be a controversial Pakistan cricket captain but he achieved a success that put him up and set aside eight rebels with a 204 run victory over the then Test toldder Sri Lanka at Karachi.

For Sri Lanka, its second appearance in a Test match, was no different from the first against England and now against Pakistan, the effervescent cricketers from Sri Lanka flattered to deceive.

A few days before the Test was to begin came a devastating storm that clean swept the somewhat complacent Pakistani cricket officialdom off its feet.

Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Wasim Bari, Sarfraz Nazaz, Wasim Raja, Sikkander Bakht and Muddasar Nazar - well, almost the entire Pakistan side came out with a press statement that they were unwilling to play under the leadership of Miandad. The real reason behind this strange and controversial decision was not clear.

Driven into a corner, the Pakistan Cricket Board came out punching.

It announced that the "rebel-eight" would not be considered for the first Test against Sri Lanka and then picked a team that was at best a bunch of raw but enthusiastic cricketers.

That a collapse did not materialise was enough reason to cause panic among the rebel ranks and four of them, Qasim Raja, Bakht and Bari relented. But only the first two were picked for the match.

For a long while on the opening day, after Miandad had won the toss and decided to bat, it did appear as if Pakistan would feel the absence of its stars in a big way.

Some spirited bowling by pace bowler Asantha de Mel and leg spinner Somachandra de Silva left the Pakistan innings tollering at six down for 126. But comeback man Haroon Rashid and Tahir Naqqash produced a seventh wicket partnership of 105 to steer Pakistan to safety.

Haroon Rashid added 127 for the ninth wicket with Rashid Khan (59) before being run out for 153.

Sri Lanka started well enough, with Sidath Wettimuny and Roy Dias taking a heavy toll of the inexperienced Pakistani bowlers. Playing entertaining cricket, Dias and Wettimuny plundered 96 in a fire second wicket partnership. Later, after Mendis had made a sparkling 54, Pakistan managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 344 for a 52-run first innings lead.

The fourth day belonged entirely to the young debutante Salim Malik and skipper Miandad as the pair took Pakistan to a position from which they could go for a victory. Unbeaten on 92 overnight, Mianded lost his wicket without adding a run on the final morning while Selim Malik went on to complete a fine century on debut, the youngest player to do so. Miandad declared the innings as soon as the 18-year-old Malik completed his century, for which the youngster got the Man of the Match award later.

Sri Lanka needed 354 to win and at best it could hope for a draw.But new ball bolers - Naqqash and Rashid Khan reduced Sri Lanka to 41 for 3 at lunch and it would have taken some really resolute late order batting to have forced a draw. The resistance never came. Just as against England in Colombo, Sri Lanka lost seven of its second innings wickets for 81 providing Mandad with a morale-boosting victory.Only the young Ranatunga showed nerves of steel and defied the Pakistan attack for a well made 33.

Qassim picked-up four wickets without breaking into a sweat and Wasim Raja grabbed a couple of tailenders.