Multan, a city where myths of conquests and legends of empires intertwine, became the backdrop for a cricketing battle that would etch itself into the annals of the sport. More than two millennia after Alexander the Great supposedly fell to a poisoned arrow in this very land, another warrior, armed not with a sword but with a bat, carved out his own path to immortality. The city bore witness to an onslaught as relentless as any waged in its storied past—this time, not by soldiers in armour, but by a marauder from Najafgarh.
The Indian
and Pakistani cricketing arch-rivals had last met in a Test match on Pakistani
soil nearly a decade and a half earlier. This long-anticipated battle, however,
played out before a disappointingly sparse crowd, leaving the 28,000-seat
Multan Cricket Stadium eerily desolate. Those who did show up were, however,
compensated with an exhibition of carnage, a breathtaking display of dominance
that resonated like the echoes of an ancient war cry.
The Blade of Sehwag and the End of an Era
What
unfolded over those three days was as much an execution as it was a cricket
match. From the moment Virender Sehwag took his stance, there was no room for
tradition, no patience for the cautious decorum that Test cricket often
demands. Instead, the Pakistan bowlers faced an unsparing assailant, wielding
his bat like a broadsword, hacking through their defences with unrelenting
fury.
Sehwag's
opening stand with Akash Chopra lasted nearly 40 overs, with the latter’s
measured approach providing a mere whisper of restraint to the storm raging at
the other end. When Chopra fell for 42, the score had already ballooned to
160—an ominous sign for the hosts.
Rahul
Dravid, captaining in the absence of an injured Sourav Ganguly, departed
swiftly, but this did little to stem the flood. Instead, it brought to the
crease Sachin Tendulkar, and with him, a contrast so stark it could have been
sculpted in stone. Where Sehwag was all brute force and untamed aggression, Tendulkar
was precision incarnate, a surgeon wielding his scalpel alongside a berserker
swinging his axe. The two men combined for an onslaught that left the
Pakistanis dazed.
By the time the first day closed, India had galloped to 356 for two. Sehwag, undefeated on 228, had already ensured his innings would be spoken of in reverent whispers. His sole moment of pause came on 199, where he endured an uncharacteristic 11-ball drought, perhaps haunted by the memory of his dismissal for 195 at Melbourne a year earlier. Once past that psychological hurdle, however, he resumed his onslaught with renewed ferocity.
Yet, as
Sehwag ascended towards cricketing immortality, another figure faded into the
shadows. Saqlain Mushtaq, once Pakistan’s wily spin wizard, was mercilessly
dismantled in this very match. His flighted deliveries, which had once undone
the best in the world, were now being hurled into the stands with impunity. The
man who had once outfoxed Tendulkar with the 'doosra' was reduced to a mere
bystander as Sehwag sealed his fate. His Test career, which had once promised
so much, ended abruptly here in Multan, mirroring Alexander’s fabled demise on
this very soil.
History Forged with a Six
The second
day dawned with history in the making. Sehwag, carrying his ferocious momentum,
hurtled towards a milestone no Indian had ever achieved before. His journey to
300, however, was not without drama. He offered two more chances, neither of
which Pakistan capitalized on, and by then, his will was indomitable.
As he stood
at 299, a curious warning came from the other end. Tendulkar, ever the
embodiment of prudence, advised caution—no risky shots now, no recklessness on
the brink of history. But Sehwag, never one to be bound by caution or
tradition, had no room in his uncluttered mind for trepidation.
Saqlain
Mushtaq tossed one up, perhaps seeking redemption. Sehwag advanced, bat raised
like a warrior charging into battle, and launched the ball over long-on with
nonchalant disdain. With that one audacious stroke, he became the first Indian
to score a triple hundred in Test cricket. It took him just 364 balls, only two
more than the then-fastest triple century by Matthew Hayden.
His innings
ended soon after, edging a delivery from Mohammad Sami to slip. The final
numbers were staggering—309 runs, 531 minutes, 39 fours, and six sixes.
Pakistan had been butchered, their bowling shredded beyond recognition.
A Twist in the Tale: The Shadow over 194 not
out
Even as
Sehwag’s heroics dominated the narrative, another subplot was unfolding in the
backdrop—one that would spark controversy, debate, and lingering whispers of
discontent.
Tendulkar,
crafting an innings of grace and efficiency, had worked his way to 194. His
strokeplay was measured, his intent clear—he was building a monolithic score,
laying down the foundation for a colossal Indian total. However, as tea
approached, a decision was brewing in the Indian camp, one that would send
shockwaves through the cricketing world.
According
to John Wright’s account in Indian Summers, the players were informed at tea
that they had 15 overs before declaration. However, with Yuvraj Singh’s
dismissal on 59, Dravid called the innings to a close after just 13.5 overs,
leaving Tendulkar stranded six runs short of what would have been a poetic
double century on Pakistani soil—the land where his legend had first begun as a
16-year-old.
The
decision, though strategic, was poorly communicated. Tendulkar, unaware of the
impending declaration, walked off visibly bewildered. What followed was an
unnecessary storm of speculation. Was it a calculated move to deny a personal
milestone? Was there friction within the team? Or was it simply a tactical call
that, due to miscommunication, left an unfortunate aftertaste?
Tendulkar’s
comments in the media did little to douse the flames, and his absence from the
field due to a supposed ankle injury only fueled further speculation. Yet,
before the rumour mill could run wild, Wright intervened, ensuring a private
conversation between Dravid and Tendulkar. Whatever misunderstandings had
arisen, they were ironed out behind closed doors, and the team moved forward as
one.
The Final Blow: A Triumph 49 Years in the
Making
Pakistan,
though battered, was not entirely vanquished. Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yasir Hameed
launched a spirited counterattack, temporarily threatening to drag the game
towards a high-scoring draw. But India’s relentless pursuit of victory was
embodied by Anil Kumble, who claimed seven wickets in the decisive fourth day,
shattering Pakistan’s resistance.
A desperate
hundred by Yousuf Youhana merely delayed the inevitable, dragging the match
into the fifth day by just two overs. At long last, after 21 Tests spread
across 49 years, India had conquered Pakistani soil in Test cricket. And it had
taken the irresistible force of Sehwag’s bat to shatter the jinx.
Legacy of the Multan Test
Sehwag’s
309 remains one of the most merciless innings ever played, a ruthless spectacle
that combined raw aggression with fearless execution. But the match is
remembered not just for that historic triple century, but also for the
controversy surrounding the declaration, which added an unexpected twist to an
otherwise glorious Indian triumph.
Multan, the
city of legends, witnessed a new saga written in the annals of cricket.
Alexander may have fallen here, but Sehwag rose, immortalized by the resounding
echoes of his bat, carving his name alongside the great conquerors of the past.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
