Pakistan tour of Australia 1989-90, led by great Imran Khan and filled with the players like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. In the 3-match test series, Australia has won the test series by 1-0 after the two test matches ended up in the no result. But this series was brief to the world cricket about the left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram exceptional abilities with bat and bowl. After losing the first test match, the visitors (Pakistan) won the toss and decided to bat first but once again Pakistan team was restricted at the score of 257 runs in the first innings. Wasim Akram (52) alongside Javed Miandad (52) were the leading run scorers from Pakistan in the first innings.
In response, the hosts (Australia) got the crucial lead of 84 runs in the first innings after scoring 341 runs in the first innings after the brilliant knock from Mark Taylor (77) and Dean Jones (112). At one stage, Australia was 216/5 before Dean Jones and Peter Taylor added on 112 run-partnership for the sixth wicket to save his team from the early breakthroughs. But after this partnership, Wasim Akram couldn't let them build up any more partnerships and restricted them to 341 runs and picked up 5 wickets in the first innings.
Here are 5-wickets of Wasim Akram in the first innings of second test match at Adelaide – More Akram magic against Aussies in Adelaide
The second innings for the visitors (Pakistan) was completely absurd when Merv Hughes pushed the Pakistan top order at the backfoot with his pace. Before visitors recovered, Hughes reduced Pakistan to 90/5 along with enough dents. Pakistan was left with only Imran Khan on the crease who was joined by young Wasim Akram. With the lead of 6 runs and 5 wickets in hand in the second innings, Australia was at the top of visitors and looking to bowl them out as early as possible to take the vital lead of 2-0 in the series.
But Imran Khan and Wasim Akram had other ideas, some of the glorious cricketing shots from Wasim Akram stunned the crowd and Australia bowlers. Akram found the gaps with very ease while hitting the runs around the every corner of the ground. One lbw appeal by the Australia team to disturb the concentration of these two players but the umpire seems to be not convinced. The action replay showed it was clear not-out.
The moment arrived when Wasim Akram smashed his first test century, hitting the shot to the leg-side area of the ground in the over of Merv Hughes. Akram raises his bat in the air while Imran Khan goes handshake with him. Both these players have added on 191 run-partnership for the sixth wicket to take his team back into the match. Soon after Wasim Akram was out at the score of 123 runs which featured 18 fours and only six. The captain himself scored the brilliant century of 136 runs to take the lead of the team to 310 runs. Pakistan declared the second innings at the score of 387 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Saleem Malik remained unbeaten on 65 runs before Australia was given the target of 381 runs in the fourth innings of the match.
Australia after the early hiccups saved the test match, with another century from Dean Jones who remained unbeaten on 121 runs while Australia managed to score 233 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the second innings. Wasim Akram was awarded with Man of the match for his 5 wickets and first test century. Akram became the third player after Imran Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad to take 5-wickets and smashed centuries in the same test match.
Here is the first test century of Wasim Akram – Wasim Akram hits maiden Test ton
