2001-02 Asian Test Championship
Encyclopedia
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka competed in the second Asian Test Championship
between August 2001 and March 2002. India pulled out of the tournament due to political tensions with Pakistan
.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka both played Bangladesh in the two round robin matches
. A win was worth 16 points, a tie 8 points and no points were awarded for a draw or loss. In addition to this, bonus points were awarded to teams for bowling
and batting
performances. Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for the final after convincingly beating Bangladesh in Multan
and Colombo
, respectively.
The final was held at Gaddafi Stadium
in Lahore, Pakistan. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 8 wickets to win the second Asian Test championship.
was originally planned to include all four Asia
n ICC
full-members (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). However, before the tournament started, India's participation was put in doubt.
Initially, the BCCI
requested the ACC
to change the venue of the final (Dhaka
) of the championship. The BCCI requested that if Bangladesh does not reach the final, the match should not be held in Dhaka, and if India and Pakistan were to meet in the final, it should be held in India
, and if an India Sri Lanka final was to take place, it should be held in Sri Lanka
. The BCCI stated that if the venue for the final was not changed it would be difficult for India to participate in the championship.
Following this, the BCCI commented that India's participation in the championship and selection of the team would depend on permission from the Indian government
. India's delay in confirming their participation in the championship resulted in the ACC threatening that the tournament would go ahead as scheduled without India. However the BCCI reacted strongly to the threat, claiming that "[a] decision will be taken shortly" and that the delay does not "[construe] that India has pulled out of the championship".
A week before the championship was schedule to begin, the BCCI announced that India would not participate in the tournament. This decision was reported to have been taken by the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
and other government ministers after a meeting with the BCCI. It was widely understood that India's withdrawal was due to political tensions
between India and Pakistan. Indian sports minister Uma Bharti
stated that cricketing ties between the two countries would resume after the normalization of political Indo-Pak ties. Additionally, Indian players' security and safety in Pakistan was also noted to be the major concern.
As expected, the ACC reacted angrily over India's decision, however it was confirmed that the tournament would be rescheduled and go on with only three teams. Jagmohan Dalmiya
, the chairman of the ACF, the marketing arm of the ACC, described the government's decision not to allow the Indian team to participate in the Asian Test Championship as an internal matter:
The PCB
expressed regret over India's decision not to participate in the championship. The PCB chairman, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia was dismayed over the Indian government's decision to go back on their commitment, which was a guarantee that India would have no objection playing multilateral tournaments which included Pakistan.
It was expected the ICC to sanction or fine the BCCI for their actions. The ACC and PCB were expected to experience a financial downfall due to India's decision. Pakistan in particular were unhappy since Pakistan's tour of India in 1999 helped raised millions of dollars
in revenue for the BCCI. India had already cancelled a tour earlier in the year to Pakistan. Additionally, after the first Test, the Bangladesh Cricket Board
reported that they were fearing bankruptcy due to India's withdrawal from the tournament. The director of the BCB, Ashraf-ul-Haq commented that funds that would have been generated by the ACC from the championship would be used to invest in Bangladesh cricket as well as other minor countries, without which the BCB faced serious financial problems. Ashraf planned on condemning the BCCI in the following ICC executive and ACC meetings.
Former Pakistan Test players, including Intikhab Alam
, Hasib Ahsan, and Wasim Akram
, accused India of withdrawing due to fear of losing to Pakistan. Tournament captains, Waqar Younis
(Pakistan) and Naimur Rahman
(Bangladesh) expressed India's absence as a disappointment.
protested the appointment of John Reid
as match referee for the 1st match of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship. John Reid had been involved in controversies involving the Pakistan team; he had fined and suspended Waqar Younis
and Azhar Mahmood
for ball tampering
and had been involved in reporting Shoaib Akhtar
's suspect bowling
action to the ICC.
Pakistan used the precedent that Sri Lanka had successfully removed Australian umpire
Darrell Hair
from their matches during the 1999 Cricket World Cup
. Hair had called Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan
for throwing during a tour of Australia.
However, ICC policies do not permit any member country to veto the appointment of independent referees or umpires. The ICC rejected Pakistan's formal complaint, and the ICC Chief Executive Officer
Malcolm Speed
assured that the PCB had confirmed that
John Reid would receive the same courtesies that are extended to all ICC officials visiting Pakistan
.
John Reid did not comment on the protest, but expressed disappointment and that he was still available to go to the match and do the job he had been appointed to.
Wasim Akram
and Mushtaq Ahmed
were left out of the initial Pakistan training squad before the tournament. This was done to make room for younger players, however, Akram did feature in the first Test match but failed to record a wicket. Prior to the championship, the Pakistan Cricket Board
formally announced that Richard Pybus
would be the new coach of the Pakistan team for at least three series.
. The Asian Cricket Council
approved the revisions brought forward by the technical committee compromising of Sunil Gavaskar
(India), Zaheer Abbas
(Pakistan), Ashantha De Mel
(Sri Lanka) and Gazi Ashraf
(Bangladesh). Points for winning the match were kept at 12, however additional points were given for an innings victory. Points for a tie were increase for 6 to 8.
Bonus points were awarded to teams for good bowling
and batting
performances (see table below). A maximum of 24 points could be gained in one match (including the 16 match winning points). The bonus bowling and batting points were confined to the first 100 overs of the first innings. The two teams th the highest number of points qualify for the final. If two teams are tied on points, the team with a better run rate
in the first 100 overs will go through. If the final ends in a draw, the side with the higher bonus points will win. For the 2001–02 Championship, the bonus point system was changed, 400+ runs and 10 wickets to achieve maximum points (increased for 350+ and 9–10 from the previous championship).
of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship was between Bangladesh and Pakistan. It was held in Multan
, at the newly renovated $2.5 million Multan Cricket Stadium
. This was the first Test match to be held in Multan since 1980–81 when the West Indies drew a match with Pakistan. Being the first match in the stadium, the nature of the pitch
and ground was unknown, however a result was expected.
This was the first Test match between the two sides. The previous international cricket match between the two sides was at the 1999 Cricket World Cup
when Bangladesh upset Pakistan to win its first One Day International against a Test team. Bangladesh was granted Test status only 14 months prior to the championship; this was their fourth Test match, having played India once and Zimbabwe twice (losing all three). Before the match, Bangladeshi skipper
had ruled out the possibility of a repeat upset while batsmen Al Sahariar
revealed that the aim for the team was to play the full five days. The Bangladeshi team had engaged notable former cricketers as coaches (Javed Miandad
(Pakistan), Andy Roberts (West Indies) and Trevor Chappell
) to strengthen their side, however, monsoon
weather had hampered their preparations for the tournament.
For Pakistan, Saqlain Mushtaq
was left out of the side due domestic conflicts in England
. Taufeeq Umar
and Shoaib Malik
were included in the initial 16 man squad; both players earned their first Test cap in this match. Wasim Akram
, initially left out of the 27 man training squad, was included in the final 16 and 11, taking Shoaib Akhtar
's place, after a positive performance in a First-class match
between PCB XI and Bangladesh.
Pakistan entered the match as clear favorites, however they had failed to win a Test series at home since 1997, when Wasim Akram captained the side to a 3 – 0 whitewash over the West Indies
. Since then, Pakistan has lost series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, England and Australia
.
took 6 wickets. Pakistan made a confident start to their innings, reaching 219/2 at the end of the day. Saeed Anwar
top scored on the day, making 101 from 104 deliveries. He reach 4000 Test runs in this innings, joining the likes of Javed Miandad
, Saleem Malik
, Inzamam-ul-Haq
, Zaheer Abbas
and Mudassar Nazar
as the only Pakistanis to do so. Pakistan ended the day with an 84 run lead with 8 wickets in hand.
(104), Inzamam-ul-Haq
(105*), Yousuf Youhana (102*) and Abdul Razzaq (110*). Taufeeq Umar became the 8th Pakistani batsmen to score a century on debut, while Razzaq's was the second fastest century by a Pakistani (after Majid Khan). Inzamam-ul-Haq retired hurt (dehydration
) when the score was at 381/3.
The five centuries in one innings equaled a world record set by Australia in 1954–55 against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica
.
Bangladesh started their innings on the 2nd day with 19 overs remaining. They closed at 55/3 with Habibul Bashar
not out on 19.
history.
Additionally, the Test match was the hottest ever, with temperatures in excess of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degree Fahrenheit) on each day.
Wasim Akram was criticised by the media for a poor performance in which he did not take a wicket. However skipper
Waqar Younis backed Akram saying that he was unlucky with a couple of dropped chances. Bangladesh coach Trevor Chappell
and captain Naimur Rahman
were critical of the Tigers batting performance. Chappell also added that Kaneria did not "deserve" 12 wickets. After the match, it was reported that Saeed Anwar
's young daughter died. This event led to his eventual move away from cricket.
Pakistan received the maximum 24 points for their victory; 16 for winning by an innings and 4 each for batting and bowling performances. Bangladesh received no points:
of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship
was between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The match was held at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. It was the first Test between the two sides and to mark the occasion, the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka made entrance free at five enclosures at the stadium. The BCCSL also established prize money for the match, with the winning team earning SLRs.
70,000, the losing team SLRs. 40,000 and the Man of the Match
earning SLRs. 25,000.
This Test was the second meeting of the two sides in international cricket
; Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in an ODI during the 1997 Asia Cup
. Prior to this match, Bangladesh had lost four Test matches in a row, and their coach Trevor Chappell
was expecting this Test to be a learning experience for the side rather than an opportunity to win their first match. Following Bangladesh's batting collapse in the first match of the championship against Pakistan at the hands of leg spinner Danish Kaneria
, Bangladesh was expected to perform better with the bat, especially against the in-form Muralitharan who took 23 wickets in 3 Tests against India
.
Sri Lanka was entering the match after a 2 – 1 series win over India
. Sanath Jayasuriya
, the Sri Lankan skipper
warned ahead of the game that his team can not afford to relax and was expecting good performance against the newest Test nation. Historically, Sri Lanka have had a winning record at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, with Chaminda Vaas
and Muralitharan taking career bests at this venue. The pitch was not expected to deteriorate in the first three days and was assumed to support fast bowlers.
Both teams made changes to their teams for this match. Sri Lankan pacer
Dilhara Fernando
was ruled out due a groin strain
and was replaced by Ravindra Pushpakumara
. Additionally, underperforming batsman Russel Arnold
and fast bowler Dulip Liyanage
were replaced by Michael Vandort
and Ruchira Perera
respectively. For Bangladesh, Akram Khan
and Enamul Haque
were replaced by Mohammad Ashraful
and Al Sahariar
. This was the first Test match for Michael Vandort
and Mohammad Ashraful
.
matches, the two teams agreed to play a straight final instead of their meaningless round-robin match.
The Pakistan Cricket Board and Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka
agreed to play the final match at Gaddafi Stadium
in Lahore
, Pakistan
. This marked the return of international cricket
to Pakistan
after the US invasion of Afghanistan
prompted the cancellation of tours by New Zealand and Sri Lanka and the rescheduling of the West Indies series in Sharjah.
Asian Test Championship
The ACC Asian Test Championship is a professional Test cricket tournament contested between the Test playing nations of Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It is not a regular event in the cricketing calendar and has so far been held only twice; in 1998-99 when Pakistan won and in...
between August 2001 and March 2002. India pulled out of the tournament due to political tensions with Pakistan
2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff
The 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff was a military standoff between India and Pakistan that resulted in the massing of troops on either side of the International Border and along the Line of Control in the region of Kashmir...
.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka both played Bangladesh in the two round robin matches
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
. A win was worth 16 points, a tie 8 points and no points were awarded for a draw or loss. In addition to this, bonus points were awarded to teams for bowling
Bowling (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. A player skilled at bowling is called a bowler; a bowler who is also a competent batsman is known as an all-rounder...
and batting
Batting (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat to score runs or prevent the loss of one's wicket. A player who is currently batting is denoted as a batsman, while the act of hitting the ball is called a shot or stroke...
performances. Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for the final after convincingly beating Bangladesh in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, respectively.
The final was held at Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World...
in Lahore, Pakistan. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 8 wickets to win the second Asian Test championship.
India pulls out
The 2001–02 Asian Test ChampionshipAsian Test Championship
The ACC Asian Test Championship is a professional Test cricket tournament contested between the Test playing nations of Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It is not a regular event in the cricketing calendar and has so far been held only twice; in 1998-99 when Pakistan won and in...
was originally planned to include all four Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n ICC
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
full-members (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). However, before the tournament started, India's participation was put in doubt.
Initially, the BCCI
Board of Control for Cricket in India
The Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered at Mumbai, is the national governing body for all cricket in India. It's not the apex governing body in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. BCCI is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu...
requested the ACC
Asian Cricket Council
The Asian Cricket Council is a cricket organization which was established in 1983, to promote and develop the sport of cricket in Asia. It is the regional administrative body and is sub-ordinate to the International Cricket Council. The Conference became the Asian Cricket Council in 1995 and its...
to change the venue of the final (Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
) of the championship. The BCCI requested that if Bangladesh does not reach the final, the match should not be held in Dhaka, and if India and Pakistan were to meet in the final, it should be held in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and if an India Sri Lanka final was to take place, it should be held in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The BCCI stated that if the venue for the final was not changed it would be difficult for India to participate in the championship.
Following this, the BCCI commented that India's participation in the championship and selection of the team would depend on permission from the Indian government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. India's delay in confirming their participation in the championship resulted in the ACC threatening that the tournament would go ahead as scheduled without India. However the BCCI reacted strongly to the threat, claiming that "[a] decision will be taken shortly" and that the delay does not "[construe] that India has pulled out of the championship".
A week before the championship was schedule to begin, the BCCI announced that India would not participate in the tournament. This decision was reported to have been taken by the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
and other government ministers after a meeting with the BCCI. It was widely understood that India's withdrawal was due to political tensions
2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff
The 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff was a military standoff between India and Pakistan that resulted in the massing of troops on either side of the International Border and along the Line of Control in the region of Kashmir...
between India and Pakistan. Indian sports minister Uma Bharti
Uma Bharti
Uma Ragini Bharti , is an Indian politician. She was born in Tikamgarh District, Madhya Pradesh to a religious Lodhi Rajput family and from a very young age, started holding discourses on Indian Epics.Her father was an atheist...
stated that cricketing ties between the two countries would resume after the normalization of political Indo-Pak ties. Additionally, Indian players' security and safety in Pakistan was also noted to be the major concern.
As expected, the ACC reacted angrily over India's decision, however it was confirmed that the tournament would be rescheduled and go on with only three teams. Jagmohan Dalmiya
Jagmohan Dalmiya
Jagmohan Dalmiya, born in Calcutta, India on May 30, 1940, is a well-known Indian cricket administrator. He studied at the Scottish Church College, Calcutta....
, the chairman of the ACF, the marketing arm of the ACC, described the government's decision not to allow the Indian team to participate in the Asian Test Championship as an internal matter:
"It is purely an internal matter between the Government of India and the Indian Cricket Board. The ACC or the ACF has no jurisdiction to deal with the respective governments. I have no comment to make on the decision"
The PCB
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
expressed regret over India's decision not to participate in the championship. The PCB chairman, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia was dismayed over the Indian government's decision to go back on their commitment, which was a guarantee that India would have no objection playing multilateral tournaments which included Pakistan.
It was expected the ICC to sanction or fine the BCCI for their actions. The ACC and PCB were expected to experience a financial downfall due to India's decision. Pakistan in particular were unhappy since Pakistan's tour of India in 1999 helped raised millions of dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
in revenue for the BCCI. India had already cancelled a tour earlier in the year to Pakistan. Additionally, after the first Test, the Bangladesh Cricket Board
Bangladesh Cricket Board
Bangladesh Cricket Board , previously known as the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board, is the main governing body of cricket in Bangladesh. The Board has its headquarters in Dhaka, it is responsible for the operation and development of cricket, maintenance of of venues, and selection for the...
reported that they were fearing bankruptcy due to India's withdrawal from the tournament. The director of the BCB, Ashraf-ul-Haq commented that funds that would have been generated by the ACC from the championship would be used to invest in Bangladesh cricket as well as other minor countries, without which the BCB faced serious financial problems. Ashraf planned on condemning the BCCI in the following ICC executive and ACC meetings.
Former Pakistan Test players, including Intikhab Alam
Intikhab Alam
Intikhab Alam Khan is a retired Pakistani cricketer who played in 47 Tests and 4 ODIs from 1959 to 1977. He also played in English county cricket for Surrey between 1969 and 1981....
, Hasib Ahsan, and Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
, accused India of withdrawing due to fear of losing to Pakistan. Tournament captains, Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis Maitla is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket and widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time...
(Pakistan) and Naimur Rahman
Naimur Rahman
Naimur Rahman Durjoy is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He played 8 Tests and 29 ODI matches for Bangladesh.A right arm offspinner, Rahman was a member of Bangladesh's 1997 ICC Trophy winning side....
(Bangladesh) expressed India's absence as a disappointment.
Appointment of John Reid as match referee
The Pakistan Cricket BoardPakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
protested the appointment of John Reid
John Richard Reid
John Richard Reid was a New Zealand cricketer who captained New Zealand in 34 Tests. He was the country's first cricketing leader to achieve victory, both at home against the West Indies in 1956 and the first away win, against South Africa in 1962...
as match referee for the 1st match of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship. John Reid had been involved in controversies involving the Pakistan team; he had fined and suspended Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis Maitla is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket and widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time...
and Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood Sagar is a Pakistani cricketer, . Originally his father objected to his interest in cricket, but later started to appreciate it seeing his accomplishments. As a teenager, Azhar was mentored by Irfan Bhatti who played a One Day International for Pakistan in the early 90’s...
for ball tampering
Ball tampering
In the sport of cricket, ball tampering is an action in which a fielder illegally alters the condition of the ball. Under Law 42, subsection 3 of the Laws of Cricket, the ball may be polished without the use of an artificial substance, may be dried with a towel if it is wet, and have mud removed...
and had been involved in reporting Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket, who is regarded as the fastest bowler in the history of cricket. He set an official world record by achieving the fastest delivery, when he clocked in at 161.3 km/h in his bowling speed, twice at a cricket match against...
's suspect bowling
Bowling (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. A player skilled at bowling is called a bowler; a bowler who is also a competent batsman is known as an all-rounder...
action to the ICC.
Pakistan used the precedent that Sri Lanka had successfully removed Australian umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
Darrell Hair
Darrell Hair
Darrell Bruce Hair is an Australian former Test match cricket umpire, from New South Wales. He stood on the Emirates International panel of umpires from 2002 to 2003, before he, along with fellow Australian Simon Taufel, and New Zealander Billy Bowden, was appointed to the ICC Elite umpire panel...
from their matches during the 1999 Cricket World Cup
1999 Cricket World Cup
-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
. Hair had called Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
for throwing during a tour of Australia.
However, ICC policies do not permit any member country to veto the appointment of independent referees or umpires. The ICC rejected Pakistan's formal complaint, and the ICC Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Walter Speed is an Australian businessman and the former CEO of the International Cricket Council.Before he entered the world of cricket, he was a barrister in Melbourne. He was originally the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Cricket Board from 1997 until in 2001, he took up the...
assured that the PCB had confirmed that
John Reid would receive the same courtesies that are extended to all ICC officials visiting Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
John Reid did not comment on the protest, but expressed disappointment and that he was still available to go to the match and do the job he had been appointed to.
Squads
| 1st Test | 2nd Test | 1st Test | 2nd Test | 1st Test | 2nd Test |
|
Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
and Mushtaq Ahmed
Mushtaq Ahmed
Mushtaq Ahmed is a retired Pakistani cricketer who specialised as a leg spin bowler. He was known for his hard-to-pick googly. He memorably trapped Graeme Hick in front with one during the 1992 World Cup final. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997...
were left out of the initial Pakistan training squad before the tournament. This was done to make room for younger players, however, Akram did feature in the first Test match but failed to record a wicket. Prior to the championship, the Pakistan Cricket Board
Pakistan Cricket Board
The Pakistan Cricket Board is a sporting organization that is responsible for governing all professional cricket including Test cricket and One Day International matches played in Pakistan...
formally announced that Richard Pybus
Richard Pybus
Richard Alexander Pybus is an English-born cricketer and cricket coach.Born in the North-East of England, Pybus was raised in Australia, attending Normanhurst Boys' High School in Sydney. Richard Pybus' cricketing ambitions as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler were thwarted...
would be the new coach of the Pakistan team for at least three series.
Scoring system
The scoring system used for the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship was a revised version of the first system used in the 1998-99 Asian Test Championship1998-99 Asian Test Championship
The first Asian Test Championship, organized by the Asian Cricket Council was held between 14 February and 17 March 1999. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka competed in the tournament; Bangladesh could not compete because the ICC had not granted them Test status...
. The Asian Cricket Council
Asian Cricket Council
The Asian Cricket Council is a cricket organization which was established in 1983, to promote and develop the sport of cricket in Asia. It is the regional administrative body and is sub-ordinate to the International Cricket Council. The Conference became the Asian Cricket Council in 1995 and its...
approved the revisions brought forward by the technical committee compromising of Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Manohar "Sunny" Gavaskar is a former cricketer who played during the 1970s and 1980s for Bombay and India. Widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history, Gavaskar set world records during his career for the most Test runs and most Test centuries scored by any...
(India), Zaheer Abbas
Zaheer Abbas
Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
(Pakistan), Ashantha De Mel
Ashantha De Mel
Ashantha Lakdasa Francis De Mel is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and selector for the national team. He was one of few Sri Lanka bowlers in the 1980s who could get the ball to anything above medium pace, and he was also said to have the ability to get the ball to swing out.- Cricketing career :He...
(Sri Lanka) and Gazi Ashraf
Gazi Ashraf
Gazi Ashraf Hossain , commonly known as Lipu, is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played and captained the Bangladeshi cricket team in its first 7 ODIs, two in the Asia Cup in 1986, three in the Asian Cup in 1988, and two in the Australia-Asia Cup to 1990....
(Bangladesh). Points for winning the match were kept at 12, however additional points were given for an innings victory. Points for a tie were increase for 6 to 8.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Win | 12 |
| Win by an innings | 16 |
| Tie | 8 |
| Draw/Loss | 0 |
Bonus points were awarded to teams for good bowling
Bowling (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. A player skilled at bowling is called a bowler; a bowler who is also a competent batsman is known as an all-rounder...
and batting
Batting (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat to score runs or prevent the loss of one's wicket. A player who is currently batting is denoted as a batsman, while the act of hitting the ball is called a shot or stroke...
performances (see table below). A maximum of 24 points could be gained in one match (including the 16 match winning points). The bonus bowling and batting points were confined to the first 100 overs of the first innings. The two teams th the highest number of points qualify for the final. If two teams are tied on points, the team with a better run rate
Run rate
In cricket, the run rate , or runs per over is the number of runs a batsman scores in an over of 6 balls. It includes all runs, even the so-called extras awarded due to errors by the bowler. Without extras and overthrows, the maximum run rate is 36 – if every ball were struck for six and, as...
in the first 100 overs will go through. If the final ends in a draw, the side with the higher bonus points will win. For the 2001–02 Championship, the bonus point system was changed, 400+ runs and 10 wickets to achieve maximum points (increased for 350+ and 9–10 from the previous championship).
| Runs Scored | Bonus Points | Wickets Taken | Bonus Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400+ | 4 | 10 | 4 |
| 350–399 | 3 | 8–9 | 3 |
| 300–349 | 2 | 6–7 | 2 |
| 250–299 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 1Assessed on the first 100 overs of the 1st innings | |||
1st Test: v 29 August – 2 September 2001
The first Test matchTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship was between Bangladesh and Pakistan. It was held in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, at the newly renovated $2.5 million Multan Cricket Stadium
Multan Cricket Stadium
Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. Having such a lush green outfield and playing area, the stadium is the most beautiful in the country at the moment. It is primarily used for cricket...
. This was the first Test match to be held in Multan since 1980–81 when the West Indies drew a match with Pakistan. Being the first match in the stadium, the nature of the pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
and ground was unknown, however a result was expected.
This was the first Test match between the two sides. The previous international cricket match between the two sides was at the 1999 Cricket World Cup
1999 Cricket World Cup
-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
when Bangladesh upset Pakistan to win its first One Day International against a Test team. Bangladesh was granted Test status only 14 months prior to the championship; this was their fourth Test match, having played India once and Zimbabwe twice (losing all three). Before the match, Bangladeshi skipper
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
had ruled out the possibility of a repeat upset while batsmen Al Sahariar
Al Sahariar
Mohammad Al-Sahariar , also known as Al-Sahariar Rokon, is a Bangladeshi Test and one-day cricketer. Al-Sahariar was one of the original eleven Bangladeshi Test cricketers, having made his debut in the first Test played by that country...
revealed that the aim for the team was to play the full five days. The Bangladeshi team had engaged notable former cricketers as coaches (Javed Miandad
Javed Miandad
Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...
(Pakistan), Andy Roberts (West Indies) and Trevor Chappell
Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
) to strengthen their side, however, monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
weather had hampered their preparations for the tournament.
For Pakistan, Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq is a Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest off spin bowlers of all time.He is best known for pioneering the "doosra", which he employed to great effect during his career...
was left out of the side due domestic conflicts in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Taufeeq Umar
Taufeeq Umar
Taufeeq Umar is a Pakistani cricketer who was a regular Test opening batsman for three seasons, before being dropped ahead of the 2004–05 season. Unusually for a Pakistani player, Umar has played more Tests than ODIs, as he was not given a prolonged run in the ODI side until 2003, when he played...
and Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik is a Pakistani cricket player and former captain. He made his One-Day International debut in 1999 against the West Indies and his Test debut in 2001 against Bangladesh. He has taken over 100 ODI wickets, and has a batting average in the mid 30s in both Test and ODI cricket...
were included in the initial 16 man squad; both players earned their first Test cap in this match. Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
, initially left out of the 27 man training squad, was included in the final 16 and 11, taking Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket, who is regarded as the fastest bowler in the history of cricket. He set an official world record by achieving the fastest delivery, when he clocked in at 161.3 km/h in his bowling speed, twice at a cricket match against...
's place, after a positive performance in a First-class match
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
between PCB XI and Bangladesh.
Pakistan entered the match as clear favorites, however they had failed to win a Test series at home since 1997, when Wasim Akram captained the side to a 3 – 0 whitewash over the West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
. Since then, Pakistan has lost series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, England and Australia
Australian cricket team in Pakistan in 1998-99
The Australian cricket team toured Pakistan in 1998-99. The teams played three 5 day tests and three ODIs. Australia won both the test series and the ODI series...
.
Day 1
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat, however they made a poor start to the match, being bowled out for 134 in 41.1 overs. None of the Bangladeshi batsmen scored 20 runs, while Danish KaneriaDanish Kaneria
Danish Prabha Shanker Kaneria is a Pakistani cricketer . Danish Kaneria has continued the tradition of great Pakistani leg spin bowlers and possesses a very well disguised googly...
took 6 wickets. Pakistan made a confident start to their innings, reaching 219/2 at the end of the day. Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint second highest individual score in a One Day International.-Personal life:...
top scored on the day, making 101 from 104 deliveries. He reach 4000 Test runs in this innings, joining the likes of Javed Miandad
Javed Miandad
Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...
, Saleem Malik
Saleem Malik
Saleem Malik is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1981/82 and 1999, at one stage captaining the Pakistani cricket team. He was a right-handed wristy middle order batsman who was strong square of the wicket. His legbreak bowling was also quite effective...
, Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of his era...
, Zaheer Abbas
Zaheer Abbas
Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
and Mudassar Nazar
Mudassar Nazar
Mudassar Nazar is a former Pakistani cricketer with a career in Test cricket for Pakistan and in league cricket in Pakistan and England...
as the only Pakistanis to do so. Pakistan ended the day with an 84 run lead with 8 wickets in hand.
Day 2
Pakistan added to their overnight score on the 2nd day, amassing a total of 546/3 (declared), creating a 412 first innings lead. Five players scored centuries: Saeed Anwar (101), Taufeeq UmarTaufeeq Umar
Taufeeq Umar is a Pakistani cricketer who was a regular Test opening batsman for three seasons, before being dropped ahead of the 2004–05 season. Unusually for a Pakistani player, Umar has played more Tests than ODIs, as he was not given a prolonged run in the ODI side until 2003, when he played...
(104), Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of his era...
(105*), Yousuf Youhana (102*) and Abdul Razzaq (110*). Taufeeq Umar became the 8th Pakistani batsmen to score a century on debut, while Razzaq's was the second fastest century by a Pakistani (after Majid Khan). Inzamam-ul-Haq retired hurt (dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
) when the score was at 381/3.
The five centuries in one innings equaled a world record set by Australia in 1954–55 against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
.
Bangladesh started their innings on the 2nd day with 19 overs remaining. They closed at 55/3 with Habibul Bashar
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar is a Bangladeshi cricketer, and the former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team. Under the managership of Davenell Frederick 'Dav' Whatmore, he has been found to be the most successful captain to lead the Bangladesh team to overcome several milestones. The first test...
not out on 19.
Day 3
Pakistan won the match when Bangladesh were bowled out on the 3rd day; Man of the Match, Kaneria took 6/52 for a career best match total of 12/94. Habibul Bashar was the only batsmen to offer any resistance, scoring an unbeaten 56. The inning and 264 runs victory was the 6th largest in Test cricketTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
history.
Reaction
Pakistan established four unique records in the match:- Five players scored centuries in one innings
- Saeed Anwar and Taufeeq Umar became the first left-handed opening pair to both score centuries
- For the second time in Test history two separate century partnerships for the same wicket in the same innings were recorded. Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana added 123 (unbroken) for the fourth wicket and then Yousuf Youhana and Abdur Razzaq added 165 (unbroken) for the fourth wicket. The latter partnership is considered "fourth" wicket because Inzamam-ul-Haq retired hurt and was not out.
- The Pakistan v Bangladesh and the concurrent Sri Lanka v India (3rd Test at ColomboIndian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2001India played 4 first-class matches including 3 Tests. They also took part in a limited overs tri-series with Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Sri Lanka won the Test series against India by 2-1 :* – Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets...
) Test matches provided the unique feat of centuries on test debuts on successive days in two separate Test matches.
Additionally, the Test match was the hottest ever, with temperatures in excess of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degree Fahrenheit) on each day.
Wasim Akram was criticised by the media for a poor performance in which he did not take a wicket. However skipper
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
Waqar Younis backed Akram saying that he was unlucky with a couple of dropped chances. Bangladesh coach Trevor Chappell
Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
and captain Naimur Rahman
Naimur Rahman
Naimur Rahman Durjoy is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He played 8 Tests and 29 ODI matches for Bangladesh.A right arm offspinner, Rahman was a member of Bangladesh's 1997 ICC Trophy winning side....
were critical of the Tigers batting performance. Chappell also added that Kaneria did not "deserve" 12 wickets. After the match, it was reported that Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar
Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint second highest individual score in a One Day International.-Personal life:...
's young daughter died. This event led to his eventual move away from cricket.
Pakistan received the maximum 24 points for their victory; 16 for winning by an innings and 4 each for batting and bowling performances. Bangladesh received no points:
| Team | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Bonus Batting |
Bonus Bowling |
Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2nd Test: v 6 – 10 September 2001
The second Test matchTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
of the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship
Asian Test Championship
The ACC Asian Test Championship is a professional Test cricket tournament contested between the Test playing nations of Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It is not a regular event in the cricketing calendar and has so far been held only twice; in 1998-99 when Pakistan won and in...
was between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The match was held at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
The Sinhalese Sports Club is one of the most famous cricket grounds in Sri Lanka. It is theheadquarters of Sri Lanka Cricket, the controlling body of cricket in Sri Lanka. The Ground often cited as the Lord's of Sri Lanka, hosting most domestic finals and one of preeminent international cricket...
in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It was the first Test between the two sides and to mark the occasion, the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka made entrance free at five enclosures at the stadium. The BCCSL also established prize money for the match, with the winning team earning SLRs.
Sri Lankan rupee
The rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka, divided into 100 cents. It is issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and is generally written Rs. The rupee (Sinhala: රුපියල , Tamil: ரூபாய்) (sign: ₨; code: LKR) is the currency of Sri Lanka, divided into 100 cents. It is issued by the Central Bank of Sri...
70,000, the losing team SLRs. 40,000 and the Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
earning SLRs. 25,000.
This Test was the second meeting of the two sides in international cricket
International Cricket
International Cricket is a cricket video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that was only released in Australia in 1992. Developed by Melbourne-based Beam Software, it was the only cricket game released for the NES. There were no attempts to release a cricket video game to the North...
; Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in an ODI during the 1997 Asia Cup
Asia Cup
The ACC Asia Cup is an international men's One Day International cricket tournament. It was established in 1983 when the Asian Cricket Council was founded as a measure to promote goodwill between Asian countries. It was originally scheduled to be held every two years...
. Prior to this match, Bangladesh had lost four Test matches in a row, and their coach Trevor Chappell
Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
was expecting this Test to be a learning experience for the side rather than an opportunity to win their first match. Following Bangladesh's batting collapse in the first match of the championship against Pakistan at the hands of leg spinner Danish Kaneria
Danish Kaneria
Danish Prabha Shanker Kaneria is a Pakistani cricketer . Danish Kaneria has continued the tradition of great Pakistani leg spin bowlers and possesses a very well disguised googly...
, Bangladesh was expected to perform better with the bat, especially against the in-form Muralitharan who took 23 wickets in 3 Tests against India
Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2001
India played 4 first-class matches including 3 Tests. They also took part in a limited overs tri-series with Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Sri Lanka won the Test series against India by 2-1 :* – Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets...
.
Sri Lanka was entering the match after a 2 – 1 series win over India
Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2001
India played 4 first-class matches including 3 Tests. They also took part in a limited overs tri-series with Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Sri Lanka won the Test series against India by 2-1 :* – Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets...
. Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
, the Sri Lankan skipper
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
warned ahead of the game that his team can not afford to relax and was expecting good performance against the newest Test nation. Historically, Sri Lanka have had a winning record at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, with Chaminda Vaas
Chaminda Vaas
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
and Muralitharan taking career bests at this venue. The pitch was not expected to deteriorate in the first three days and was assumed to support fast bowlers.
Both teams made changes to their teams for this match. Sri Lankan pacer
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
Dilhara Fernando
Dilhara Fernando
Congenige Randhi Dilhara Fernando is a cricketer who plays for Sri Lanka. He is a right-handed pace bowler.Dilhara studied at De Mazenod College Kandana...
was ruled out due a groin strain
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
and was replaced by Ravindra Pushpakumara
Ravindra Pushpakumara
Karuppiahyage Ravindra Pushpakumara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
. Additionally, underperforming batsman Russel Arnold
Russel Arnold
Russel Premakumaran "Rusty" Arnold is a former Sri Lankan cricketer of Tamil descent. Arnold made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1997 and his One day international debut against South Africa later in the year. Originally an opening batsmen, Arnold has since moved down the batting order...
and fast bowler Dulip Liyanage
Dulip Liyanage
Dulip Kapila Liyanage is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
were replaced by Michael Vandort
Michael Vandort
Michael Graydon Vandort is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He is one of the tallest batsman ever to play test cricket and stands at 6 feet 5 inches....
and Ruchira Perera
Ruchira Perera
Panagodage Don Ruchira Laksiri Perera is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-fast bowler....
respectively. For Bangladesh, Akram Khan
Akram Khan (cricketer)
Mohammad Akram Hussain Khan , known as Akram Khan, is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 8 Tests and 44 ODIs from 1988 to 2003. He captained Bangladesh in 15 of his ODIs. A hard hitting middle order batsman, Akram played first class cricket for Chittagong Division.Akram Khan was part of...
and Enamul Haque
Enamul Haque
Enamul Haque is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 10 Tests and 29 ODIs from 1990 to 2003....
were replaced by Mohammad Ashraful
Mohammad Ashraful
Mohammad Ashraful is a Bangladeshi international cricket player and has represented the Bangladesh national cricket team. A top-order batsman with a penchant for flashy strokeplay, he has also been selected to represent ACC Asia XI ODI side...
and Al Sahariar
Al Sahariar
Mohammad Al-Sahariar , also known as Al-Sahariar Rokon, is a Bangladeshi Test and one-day cricketer. Al-Sahariar was one of the original eleven Bangladeshi Test cricketers, having made his debut in the first Test played by that country...
. This was the first Test match for Michael Vandort
Michael Vandort
Michael Graydon Vandort is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He is one of the tallest batsman ever to play test cricket and stands at 6 feet 5 inches....
and Mohammad Ashraful
Mohammad Ashraful
Mohammad Ashraful is a Bangladeshi international cricket player and has represented the Bangladesh national cricket team. A top-order batsman with a penchant for flashy strokeplay, he has also been selected to represent ACC Asia XI ODI side...
.
| Team | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Bonus Batting |
Bonus Bowling |
Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Final Test: v 6 – 10 March 2002
After Pakistan and Sri Lanka had defeated Bangladesh in their respective round-robinRound-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
matches, the two teams agreed to play a straight final instead of their meaningless round-robin match.
The Pakistan Cricket Board and Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket, formerly the Board for Cricket Control in Sri Lanka , is the controlling body for cricket in Sri Lanka. It operates the Sri Lankan cricket team and first-class cricket within Sri Lanka....
agreed to play the final match at Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World...
in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. This marked the return of international cricket
International Cricket
International Cricket is a cricket video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that was only released in Australia in 1992. Developed by Melbourne-based Beam Software, it was the only cricket game released for the NES. There were no attempts to release a cricket video game to the North...
to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
after the US invasion of Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
prompted the cancellation of tours by New Zealand and Sri Lanka and the rescheduling of the West Indies series in Sharjah.