Pakistan's summer of 1987: When Imran Khan's team inspired the nation with victory in England

SM HUSSAIN: For the generation which had experienced the British rule, it was something more than just a triumph on a cricket field. For the rest of us, it was the end of Pakistan’s most memorable English summer

The spring of 1987 brought a scent of success for Pakistan cricket.

Under the leadership of charismatic Imran Khan, the team won the fifth and final Test match by 16 runs in a nailbiter against India at Bangalore to claim a historic Test series on Indian soil for the first time. But it was just the beginning of a successful season which brought more laurels in the English summer.  

After the long, grueling but successful Indian tour, Pakistan embarked on their trip to England in May. The selection committee (for which, read Imran Khan) made a few changes; one of the ‘dropped’ men – Qasim Umar, perhaps frustrated by his exclusion leveled some serious drug allegations on his captain and teammates which resulted in a ‘hostile’ reception at the Heathrow. Sniffer dogs welcomed the Pakistan team and, back home in Pakistan, the international career of Qasim Umar came to an abrupt end.  

After battling a hard-fought three-match Texaco Trophy ODI series, which England managed to win by one wicket in the decider at Edgbaston, both teams headed to Manchester for the first Test.

Both teams came to the contest with Test series victories against their respective arch-rivals – Australia and India - in their opponents' own backyards. England, with an Ashes away win in their bag, were clear favorites. But Imran, who ‘conquered’ India in March 1987 had other plans and he showed some of the ‘blueprints’ in the previous tour to England in 1982, which England won 2-1.    

On an overcast and damp Manchester day, Imran Khan elected to bowl. The Test series had a wet start, as bad weather ruined most of the sessions, not to mention the fifth and final day was completely rained off. But Tim Robinson wasn’t too flustered, as he mustered 166 runs and became the only silver lining to the otherwise ‘dark and cloudy’ situation of the Test match.

Neil Fairbrother made his debut so the Test became memorable for him, but otherwise it was nothing more than a forgettable spectacle. In the second Test at Lord’s only 112.5 were bowled in the match. It was a five-game series, but the dominance of inclement weather turned it into a three-match shootout.

And so, on to Headingley.

Until the mid-80s the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club had a reputation as an unwelcoming host for Asian teams. Pakistan, with their strong bowling line-up, had the ability to prove that notion wrong but it was imperative for their batting to put up a decent score on the board.

^{Imran Khan and Graham Dilley in 1987}

The tourists did just that. Saleem Malik's 99 helped his team post a formidable score of 353. At the time, Malik, 24 years of age, was blossoming into an accomplished batsman. In his playing career spanning almost two decades, he played numerous outstanding knocks, but he has always regarded his innings in Headingley Test as the best ever.

Imran was devastating, to say the least; he wasn’t the same youngster of yesteryear, but his wobbling deliveries remained in his armory. His 10-wicket haul allowed the visitors to bundle out the home team under the score of 200 in both innings and defeat them by an innings and 18 runs. When Ijaz Ahmed caught Jack Richards at short leg, Imran became the first Pakistan bowler to reach 300 wickets.             

Chris Broad’s dismissal became a controversial moment of the match. When the England opener tried to leave Imran’s short-pitched delivery, the ball touched his left hand (which was not in contact with the bat handle) and went straight into the safe hands of wicketkeeper Saleem Yousuf. According to the law, it was not out, but umpire David Shepherd raised his finger. No wonder Broad stood at the wicket in utter disbelief.   

Lady luck smiled on Mike Gatting as far as the toss of the coin was concerned, but he wasn’t was too lucky in getting a performance out of his players to back his decisions. In the fourth Test at Edgbaston, Gatting opted to bowl first, but like his batsmen in the previous Test, his bowlers let him down this time around. Pakistan made 439 runs in the first innings. In response, England scored 521 with the significant share of runs coming from their captain Gatting, who made 124. At the end of fourth day’s play, a draw seemed a foregone conclusion, but a flurry of wickets on the final day made it a fascinating viewing as seventeen wickets fell in a single day. Chasing a target of 124 England managed to reach 109 for 7 at the close of play. 

Ever since their 24-run victory at the Oval in 1954, Pakistan batsmen have had always felt comfortable playing at this venue; perhaps the true bounce of pitch suited their flamboyance. It was a run feast in the final Test at the Oval. Pakistan made a mammoth 708 which remained their best ever score in an innings until 2009 (when they made 765 for 6 against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium Karachi).

Saleem Malik and Imran Khan made centuries. Javed Miandad who had a poor series by his standards till the fourth Test was due for a big score. Gatting was nervy of that and before the start of the fifth Test, he openly shared his fear. Miandad made Gatting’s worse fear come true and scored a big double hundred, he made 260 runs. 

At the end of day four, England were three wickets down for 95 runs and struggling to save themselves from another innings defeat. One team’s loss is another team’s gain. When England reached the ground for the fifth day’s play they were welcomed with some good news.

Wasim Akram who felt lethargic and had severe abdominal pain after the fourth day’s play was rushed to hospital by the player-cum-manager – Iqbal Qasim. Doctors diagnosed appendicitis and went for the operation immediately. Interestingly, later it was reported in Pakistani media that Akram had asked the doctor to delay the operation for a day or two due to the ongoing Test match; obviously, the request was declined by the doctor.

On the fifth and final day of the series, England just lost one wicket to reach 315 for 4. Gatting played another captain’s knock and remained not out on 150, but it was Botham’s patient batting which played a crucial role in the match-saving partnership. Defying his extravagant nature, Botham made 51 not out off 209 balls.  Akram’s absence combined with the resilience of England batsmen and Pakistan’s appalling fielding became major factors in drawing the final Test.

On 11th August 1987 just two days before their country’s 40th independence day Imran’s men gave their countrymen a prized gift – Pakistan beat England in England. It was at The Oval in 1954 when a young cricketing nation got a self-belief after a maiden Test victory over England and it was only fitting that they raised the Cornhill Insurance trophy after winning their first ever Test series in England at the same venue.

For the generation which had experienced the British rule, it was something more than just a triumph on a cricket field. For the rest of us, it was the end of Pakistan’s most memorable English summer.