Pakistan had found themselves well on course towards scripting history, when they were presented with a wonderful opportunity to become the only team in history to win a Test match after conceding over 650 runs in the first innings.
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Also, with Azhar Ali and Agha Salman looking comfortable at the crease while batting at individual scores of over 30+, the Babar Azam-led side were in with a realistic chance to notch-up a memorable win during the first Test at Rawalpindi, with only 86 runs required to win in the final session of the Test and five wickets in the bank.
However, the two lone England fast bowlers in the match – Ollie Robinson (22-6-50-4) and James Anderson (24-12-36-4), managed to extract significant reverse swing to scalp four Pakistani wickets in the session, to leave no option for the last opening pair, but to go for the seemingly unlikely draw.
The pair of Naseem Shah (6 off 46) and Mohammad Ali (0* off 26) did stand their ground for some good half-an-hour of a block fest, while doing everything they could – from change of gloves to loo break as well all this while, but ultimately Jack Leach trapped Naseem in front of the wickets to help England win only their third Test on Pakistan soil.
R Ashwin expresses awe of James Anderson
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, on Thursday, was all in praise of the veteran, 40-year-old English bowler James Anderson for his bowling master class on display during the final session, on the Rawalpindi pitch which was nothing short of a graveyard for the bowlers.
Commending Anderson via his Youtube channel, Ashwin reminisced Anderson’s similar reverse bowling skills on display during the Chennai Test last year in February, when he had castled the likes of Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in the second innings to help England win the contest against India by 227 runs.
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“He (Anderson) bowled a brilliant spell in Chennai in the last innings. His reverse swing to Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane cleaned bowled them. Jimmy Anderson, take a bow. When it comes to Test format, his pinpoint accuracy, adaptability, ability to bring reverse swing into play, and all those subtle changes. Only a guy with so much experience and skill can do that,” exclaimed Ashwin.
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