Anil Kumble could not have picked a better Test match to accomplish one of the most remarkable feats in cricket. After losing the first Test in Chennai against Pakistan, India needed to win the second game in Delhi.
Twenty-one years ago, at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, Kumble became only the second bowler after England’s Jim Laker to claim 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match. He finished with figures of 10 for 74 in 26.3 overs.
India won the Test match by 212 runs, their biggest victory margin against Pakistan, to tie the series 1-1.
India took the upper hand in the match by bowling Pakistan out for 172 in the first innings after posting 252. With Sadagoppan Ramesh and Sourav Ganguly scoring half-centuries, the hosts then built on the 80-run lead.
Chasing 420 with almost two days remaining in the Test, Pakistan were off to a decent start with Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar. Pakistan were 101 for no loss at lunch on day four.
But Kumble broke the partnership with the wicket of Afridi who was caught behind by Nayan Mongia. Pakistan’s batting line-up then crumbled with Ijaz Ahmed dismissed leg-before the next ball. Inzamam-ul-Haq chopped on while Mohammad Yusuf was leg-before as well.
Moin Khan was caught in the slips and Anwar then edged one to short-leg. Saleem Malik, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq came and went back to the dressing room quickly before Kumble had Wasim Akram caught at short-leg by VVS Laxman to complete a 10-wicket haul.
Kumble announced his retirement from international cricket in 2008, finishing with 619 wickets in the longest format of the game. He has the third-highest number of wickets in Tests, only Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia’s Shane Warne (708) have more.
