Of the sixteen Test cricket venues in what constitutes Pakistan today, six have been the site of a solitary Test only. Then there are others that have witnessed more than a single Test but the last one they staged was in the last century, over 25 years ago. These ‘one Test wonders’ and forgotten hosts have many interesting stories to tell.
The Dring Stadium / Bahawal Stadium
The first home series to be played in Pakistan was against India in 1955. The second Test of this five match series was played at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur and this constitutes the first Test to be played on present Pakistani soil. Sadly, it remains the only Test to be played at this ground.
The stadium was named after Sir John Dring who was the second Prime Minister/Chief Minister of Bahawalpur, and an ardent cricket lover. The Nawab of Bahawalpur, Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan Abbasi was also a cricket fanatic and fully supported the idea of constructing a modern stadium in his state. It was the first complete stadium of Pakistan, with grounds for cricket, hockey and football, as well as squash courts, a volleyball court, tennis courts, a gym and swimming pools.
Built in the early 1950’s, it offered one of only three turf wickets in Pakistan at the time. Upon its completion in 1951 a special cricket match was organised to celebrate the occasion. The Amir of Bahawalpur Eleven faced a team from Aitchison College Lahore, in which the Bahawalpur squad emerged victorious after a close contest. Later, the Amir of Bahawalpur team, led by Makhdoomzada Hasan Mahmood, who was then a young and bright education minister of the state, the Sind Cricket Association, led by Pir Pagara, and the Punjab Cricket Association competed in a triangular tournament, which the home team won.
The initial first class match played on this ground was in November 1951 between the visiting MCC side against a combined Bahawalpur and Karachi team captained by Makhdoomzada Hasan Mahmood. The match was drawn but it marked the arrival of a batting prodigy called Hanif Mohammad who scored his first fifty in first class cricket in only his second first class match. Interestingly it was also Hanif’s first exposure to a turf wicket in first class cricket.
The Dring Stadium also staged the opening game of the newly inaugurated Quaid e Azam Trophy in 1953-54. In a match played between Bahawalpur and Sind, Hanif again showed his special affinity for this venue. Opening the batting for Bahawalpur, he carried his bat through the innings, remaining unbeaten on 147 in a total score of 252.
The next first class match at the Dring Stadium was a Test match between Pakistan and India in January 1955. India who batted first after winning the toss, were bowled out for 235 after having been 107 for 7 wickets at one stage, despite a stylish knock of 50 from Vijay Manjrekar. They were rescued by a fighting innings of 54 not out by their wicket keeper Narendra Tamhane, who featured in a 78 run stand with Gulabrai Ramchand, who also scored a fifty. For Pakistan Khan Mohammad took 5 wickets for 94 runs from 33 overs, followed by Fazal who took 4 for 86 in a marathon bowling stint of 52.5 overs.
Pakistan began its reply with a first wicket partnership of 127 runs between Hanif and Alimuddin. This was the first opening wicket century stand for Pakistan in Test cricket and was also the highest partnership of this Test. Alim’s contribution was a doughty 64. A 73 run stand for the second wicket took Pakistan to 200, before Waqar fell for 48. Hanif continued to apply himself with his legendary concentration and reached his first hundred in Test cricket after a stay of more than seven and a half hours at the crease. He was eventually the 9th batsman to be dismissed with an individual score of 142 and the Pakistani total on 307.
Shortly afterwards Kardar declared the Pakistan innings at 312 for 9. Polly Umrigar took 6 wickets for 74 runs and achieved the best Test bowling figures of this game. In the remaining 89 overs India crawled to a score of 209 for 5 wickets, thus leaving the Test match drawn.
Unfortunately, the Dring Stadium was never chosen as the venue for another Test match, though it continued to host international teams for side matches till the mid 1980’s. It has also been a regular venue for domestic cricket tournaments, and matches of the Quaid e Azam trophy as well as the BCCP Patron’s trophy have been regularly held at this stadium. In this process it has had the honour of staging both the semi-finals as well as the final of the Quaid e Azam Trophy.
Dring Stadium also served as the official training camp for the Pakistan team before their tour of England in 1954. It was also designated as the training venue for Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies in 1957-58. However, on this occasion the Pakistani captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar complained. The Dring Stadium wicket was a slow turner and the ball kept low, which was totally different from the fast and bouncy wickets of the Caribbean. Kardar felt that his batsmen would not receive adequate preparation for the task that lay ahead, while the spin bowlers may develop an exaggerated opinion of their abilities. The Board eventually heeded his advice and shifted the camp to Lahore.
The Dring Stadium has since been renamed as the Bahawal Stadium. Located across the road from the Bahawalpur zoo, with a seating capacity of 15,000 people, it’s stadium complex is one the biggest in Asia in terms of size.
The Dring Stadium has also staged a solitary Under-19 Test match. Played in 1989, this too, was between Pakistan and India and ended in a draw. Pakistan were led by a future Test player Basit Ali and the side included the leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed who took 6 wickets in India’s only innings.
In the early years of Pakistan’s cricket history, Bahawalpur played a major role in it’s development. Though the Dring Stadium is named after Sir John Dring, it was in fact his political successor and another eminent personality of Bahawalpur, Makhdoomzada Hassan Mahmood, who personally oversaw the construction of the stadium and who recruited a team that included the best cricketers of the country including Hanif and Wazir Mohammad, Khan Mohammad, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Imtiaz Ahmed, Alimuddin and Amir Elahi. He persuaded the Nawab to allocate funds to build a model stadium that was way ahead of it’s time in concept and structure. Let us hope that suitable renovation is now carried out to restore this splendid stadium to its former status as a prime cricketing and sporting venue of the country.
Jinnah Stadium Gujranwala/Municipal Stadium Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a busy industrial city of Pakistan located 40 miles north of Lahore. It is the fifth most populous city of the country and its third largest center of industrial production, after Karachi and Faisalabad. Popularly known as the city of wrestlers, Gujranwala also has a Test cricket ground that was formerly known as the Municipal Stadium but is now called the Jinnah Stadium. It is a commodious stadium that can accommodate 20,000 spectators. Sadly, however, only one Test has been staged at this venue, making it one of the ‘one Test wonders’ of the cricketing arenas of the world.
The ground was built in 1981 and was the brainchild of the thrice elected mayor of Gujranwala Alhaj Mohammad Aslam Butt. In celebration of its establishment, in March 1982, a forty over match was staged between two star studded teams, captained by Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas respectively and named eponymously after them.
In December 1982 the ground witnessed its first ODI as Pakistan beat India by 14 runs in a closely contested match in which Javed Miandad scored his first ODI century.
The initial first class match at this ground was a BCCP Patrons Trophy encounter in October 1983 between a Gujranwala team and Lahore City Whites.
In December 1991, a decade after its inauguration, the Jinnah Stadium Gujranwala hosted its solitary Test match between Pakistan and the visiting South African team. On the first day rain limited play to only two and a half hours in which 36 overs were bowled, during which Pakistan scored 109 runs for the loss of two wickets. Rameez Raja was unbeaten with 51. The remaining four days of the match were totally lost due to persistent drizzle, bad light and a water soaked pitch and playing square.
Since this match this Gujranwala arena has been completely ignored as a Test venue. However, it has continued to hold ODI’s and international Under-19 matches, along with hosting Quaid e Azam Trophy and Patrons Trophy games as well. Incidentally, the renowned Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar made his umpiring debut in ODI’s at this ground in February 2000 in a Pakistan versus Sri Lanka encounter. Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI debut was also at this venue and he lasted just two balls before being caught by Wasim Akram off the bowling of Waqar Younis for nought.
Though its utilisation as a cricket ground has receded Gujranwala’s Jinnah Stadium has gained popularity as a site for political rallies and social events.
Sheikhupura Stadium
Located approximately 27 miles from Lahore, Sheikhupura is an ancient city founded in the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. The city is named after Jahangir’s nickname Sheikhu Baba which is the moniker or term of endearment by which his mother addressed him. Sheikhupura Stadium is a multi-purpose ground which is used primarily for cricket matches. It can accommodate around 15,000 people.
This stadium has hosted two Tests. The first one was between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in October 1996, which incidentally was also the initial first class match to be staged at this ground. It marked Sheikhupura Stadium’s induction as Test cricket’s 77th venue.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat. They were rescued from 142 for 6 by a 131 runs partnership between Grant Flower and Paul Strang. Flower was dismissed for 110, but Bryan Strang who came in at the fall of the 8th wicket helped his brother Paul add 87 runs for the ninth wicket. Paul eventually ran out of partners and was 106 not out when the Zimbabwean innings ended with the score at 375. This was Paul’s maiden Test hundred.
In reply Pakistan were in deep trouble at 181 for 6 when their captain Wasim Akram came into bat. Wasim first added 54 for the 7th wicket with Moin Khan and then proceeded to take charge in a world record breaking 8th wicket stand of 313, with Saqlain Mushtaq who made 79. Wasim’s own contribution was an unbeaten 257, the highest score ever by a No. 8 batsman in Test cricket. His knock included 12 sixes which was also a new world best for the most sixes in a Test innings. Pakistan’s total of 553 had transformed the prospect of a first innings deficit into a sizeable lead.
Zimbabwe saved the Test by making 241 for 7 wickets in their second innings. Pakistan’s cause was not helped by bad light on the fourth evening and rain the following morning. The Zimbabwean captain Dave Houghton described the pitch as the slowest he had ever seen.
Exactly two years later, in October 1998, Pakistan and South Africa played a Test here that was severely disturbed by rain, injury and illness. South African wicket-keeper Dave Richardson, who had played 38 consecutive Tests for his side since their re-admission into the cricketing fold in 1992, had a groin injury and was replaced by Mark Boucher who was making his Test debut. Alan Donald was injured and consequently Lance Klusener played. On a washed out opening day Jacques Kallis needed hospitalization for acute appendicitis and Jonty Rhodes was drafted into the side. For Pakistan Waqar Younis could not play because of a bruised foot.
After losing the first day to rain South Africa batted and made 402 to which Pakistan had replied with 53 for 1 when stumps were drawn for the third day. The last two days witnessed torrential monsoon rains that made play impossible leaving the match drawn. This was the last Test to be played at the Sheikhupura Stadium.
Jinnah Stadium Sialkot/Jinnah Park Sialkot
Sialkot, the birthplace of Allama Iqbal and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and the manufacturing home of surgical instruments and sporting goods, also has a cricketing arena called the Jinnah Stadium or simply Jinnah Park. This stadium has a long history, having been built by the British in the early part of the twentieth century. It was initially called Connelly Park after Mr. Connelly, the Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot at the time of the stadium’s founding. In the 1950’s it was re-named Jinnah Park, in honour of the father of the nation, and in 1979, after suitable renovation and enhancement of it’s seating capacity to 15,000, it was upgraded to Jinnah Stadium.
First class cricket made its appearance here when a visiting MCC team played against a Punjab side in November 1951. Pakistan’s first ever ODI on home ground was also played at this venue, against New Zealand in October 1976.
The first ever Test to be played at this stadium was in October 1985, making this stadium cricket’s 59th Test match venue. It resulted in a comfortable Pakistani victory by 8 wickets, with the highlight being Imran Khan’s 9 wickets for 95 runs in the match.
It was four years before Jinnah Stadium witnessed its next Test, which was a drawn game against India in December 1989 on a green top wicket offering some help to the bowlers. A 16 year old Sachin Tendulkar, batted bravely to rescue India from a second innings batting collapse despite being hit in the face by a Waqar Younis delivery.
In December 1991 Pakistan again faced Sri Lanka here. They were 153 runs ahead on the first innings when, in an attempt to force a win, Imran Khan declared, despite being just 7 runs away from his own century. However, in a match hampered by fading light each evening, Sri Lanka held out for a draw.
In September 1995, Sri Lanka finally prevailed over Pakistan at this venue, comprehensively beating the hosts by 144 runs, despite a fighting unbeaten century by the Pakistani wicketkeeper Moin Khan.
Four Test matches have been staged at this ground of which Pakistan has won one, lost one and drawn two. Three of these four Tests have been against Sri Lanka.
The highest team score at this ground is 423 for 5 declared by Pakistan against Sri Lanka in 1991, while the lowest is 157 by Sri Lanka in 1985.
Ramiz Raja has the highest run tally at this ground with 184 runs from 4 innings. Two centuries have been scored here with Moin Khan’s 117 not out being the highest.
Imran Khan has taken most Test wickets at this venue with 14 scalps at an average of 17.14. On 5 occasions a bowler has taken 5 or more wickets in an innings, with the best performance being Ravi Ratnayeke’s 7 for 83 in 1985.
Sadly, Jinnah Stadium has not staged a Test match since 1995.
Dr Salman Faridi is a senior surgeon, poet, sports aficionado and an avid reader with a private collection of over 7000 books.
salmanfaridilnh@hotmail.com
