Multan: Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq compared Wednesday’s first Test success against England to his team’s memorable wins over India.
“It is surely one of our best wins. It is nice to win against a team that has beaten Australia and won the Ashes and it can be compared to our wins over India in Lahore and Bangalore in recent times. It is memorable,” he said.
“It is nice to beat a strong team like England but this victory does not mean we have won the series. They are a very good team and there are still two games to go,” he cautioned.
It was only the sixth win for Inzamam as captain in 15 Tests and his third in the last four Tests played by Pakistan against India, West Indies and England.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy against them today, but I knew (Danish) Kaneria would get turn because he has been really bowling well for the last year and has won us matches,” said the Multan-born Inzamam.
“I don’t know whether their batsmen played rash shots but I know that my bowlers bowled well,” he added.
Kaneria, who has now taken 137 wickets in 29 Tests, took four for 64 on the final day to help bowl out England for 175 when they were chasing 198 to win.
Opening batsman Salman Butt was named Man of the Match for his scores of 74 and 122.
“They (England) are a good side but we were confident after working very hard over the last 12 months.
“I would love to carry this form into the next Test (in Faisalabad starting on Sunday),” said the left-hander.
England’s acting captain Marcus Trescothick, standing in for knee-injury victim Michael Vaughan, acknowledged that his team’s batting had failed on the final day.
“Coming into the final day I thought we would knock the runs off comfortably. I thought we would face a few problems here and there against the leg-spinner on a last day pitch. But it is disappointing to lose after having played well for four days.
“We lacked application today and we should have occupied the crease and the runs would have come easily,” said Trescothick, who top-scored in the match with his first-innings 193.
“We needed one good partnership in the middle. But it didn’t happen. They bowled very well and Kaneria is a world class spinner.