16th January, 2006, Lahore test, Day 4. This date is so vivid in many cricket fans around the world. India and Pakistan cricket teams have the long history of producing nail-biting matches in the cricket be it as test cricket (red-ball cricket) or one-day cricket (white-ball series).
While the 90s era was dominated by fearsome bowling pair Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram who were reason of many great batting collapses with their genuine fast bowling (especially the reverse swing from Wasim Akram the opposition teams were in the complete shambles). However, towards the early 2000 era team India was the complete different side from the previous eras.
Team India have the players like Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath in the line-up who on his day could’ve even made impossible to possible.
When team India toured to Pakistan in 2004, they have thrashed the hosts (Pakistan) by 2-1 in test series and by 3-2 ODI series. Once again they have toured to Pakistan in 2005 for 3-match test series and 5-match ODI series.
Pakistan First Innings
The first test match was played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore where Pakistan after winning the toss have decided to bat first and they have destroyed the team India bowling line-up with massive score of 679 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the first innings before they have declared their innings after batted for almost two days.
Four Pakistan batsman have hammered centuries Younis Khan (199), Mohammad Yosuf (173), Shahid Afridi (103) and Kamran Akmal remained unbeaten on 102 runs off 81 balls which featured 11 fours and 2 sixes. Team India captain has experimented seven bowlers in the first innings of Pakistan.
Team India First Innings: Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid have set the world on fire
At the end of day two, team India was 65/0 in 13 overs with Virender Sehwag (36) and Rahul Dravid (22) were remained unbeaten. While day three was affected due to rain interrupted the play and only 15 overs were bowled in the day and team India has stumped at 145/0 in 28 overs.
Virender Sehwag 96* and Rahul Dravid 37* were both remained unbeaten once again. The day four of first test match completely belonged team India openers Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid who have batted all day long to take the scoreboard to 403 Runs without the loss of any wicket.
Virender Sehwag at its complete best had registered the second fastest double hundred in test cricket after Nathan Astle (153-ball double hundred) in just 181-balls. Virender Sehwag on 247* and Rahul Dravid on 128* remained unbeaten and just close to record breaking partnership of 413 runs for first wicket by former Indian openers against New Zealand in 1956.
Day five once again interrupted the play by rain and with addition of 7 runs on the scoreboard team India has lost Virender Sehwag (254) the score of 410/1 runs and just fell short of 3 runs of record partnership.
The record was later surpassed by South Africa openers against Bangladesh to set the record of 415 run-partnership for the first wicket. The first test match was ended in a draw after Sehwag wicket as no play was possible due to rain. Virender Sehwag was awarded with Man of the match for 254 runs off 247 balls which featured 47 fours and only six.
Take a look at the partnership of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid for the first wicket –