Fazal Mahmood-Starred Pakistan Registered First Ever Test Win In England On This Day In 1954
England vs Pakistan Test series in 1954 (X.com)
The day of August 17, 1954, marked a historic moment in Pakistan's cricket history as they registered their first-ever victory on English soil. The victory was special and memorable, given Pakistan's inexperience as a newly found Test-playing nation.
Pakistan had been granted Test status just two years earlier, in 1952, and this was their maiden tour of England. The players had been on English soil for over two months and wanted to wrap up the Test series as soon as possible.
The series had been challenging for Pakistan, with England leading 1-0 after three matches. The tour was their only second international assignment, and hence, the fourth and final Test at The Oval was crucial for Pakistan.
Pakistan batted first, a decision that quickly backfired as debutants Frank Tyson and Peter Loader breathed fire with early spells to clip seven wickets combined.
Pakistan captain Abdul Kardar was the highest scorer, with 36 runs in the visitors' 133 runs total in the first inning. While day 2 was washed out due to rain, the world saw Pakistan emerge from the ashes to toppled a mighty English side on day 3.
Fazal Mahmood bowled for three hours straight to pick 6 wickets for just 53 runs, helping to bowl out England for a modest total of 130 runs.
An inexperienced Pakistan side saw an opening out of nowhere and battled challenging conditions to post an above-par total of 164 runs.
With a 168-run chase on the board, England's second innings was once again dominated by Fazal Mahmood. The conditions at The Oval suited his swing and seam bowling perfectly, and he delivered a masterclass, taking six wickets for 46 runs.
England, for the first time ever, looked under pressure on their home soil and eventually fell short of 24 runs to face their maiden Test defeat at home.
This victory was a defining moment for Pakistan cricket. It laid the foundation for Pakistan's future successes in international cricket. To date, The 1954 Oval Test victory is still remembered as one of Pakistan's greatest cricketing achievements, symbolising their rise as a competitive force in red ball cricket.
 "Akshita Patel")
