The Perfect 10

India went into this match already 1-0 down in the two match series, desperate to avenge the narrow 12-run defeat by Pakistan in Chennai a week previously. Tensions in the 25,000 capacity ground were characteristically high, bordering on bedlam, Pakistan being jeered by a feverishly partisan Indian crowd, with the rotund Inzamam-ul-Haq being singled-out for particular abuse, labelled an 'aloo' - a potato. Meanwhile, the pitch itself already had its doubters, having been laid hurriedly after having been dug up by extremists opposed to any friendly relations between the two neighbouring nations.

So it was no surprise that when the match got underway, after India had won the toss and elected to bat, Pakistani spin-wizard Saqlain Mushtaq managed to capitalise on the conditions. The batting team closed at stumps on 247 for 8 with Saqlain having taken 5 for 94 off a mammoth 34.5 overs, including Tendulkar, cheaply. As if demonstrating the ground's propensity to take spin, wrist-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed also picked up two wickets on the day and it could have been more for the two spinners if the Pakistani fielders hadn't put ball to ground on several occasions.

India managed to add only five runs to the total before being all out early in day two, but Indian spinners Anil Kumble and 19-year old Harbajan Singh immediately followed Saqlain's suit by taking seven of the ten wickets during the Pakistani innings. Pakistan were bowled out in only four-and-a-half hours for 172. At stumps, India had scored 46 for 1 in their second innings, extending the lead to 126. Day three saw more of the same, India losing seven more wickets, but posting a decent score in return, Sadagoppan Ramesh's top-scoring with 96. At stumps then, India were 324 for seven, boasting a lead of 404, although it could have been considerably less, but for some favourable umpiring from home-grown umpire Jayaprakash.

Early into day four, India were all out for 339, having added only 15 to their overnight total for the loss of the last three wickets. Pakistan now had two days either to bat through for a draw or to post a world record fourth innings total of 420 runs to win the match. Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin set out to contain the Pakistanis rather than to attack them, in doing so attracting criticism of his tactics. At lunch Pakistan were 101 for no loss off just 15 overs and looked set for the target of 420 runs, with Kumble having gone for 25 off his first five overs.

But then things changed and an important piece of cricketing history was made. Shortly after lunch, Kumble bowled the second ball of his ninth over, now from the Pavillion end. A swish of willow through air later and Pakistani opener Shahid Afridi was perhaps controversially given out by umpire Jayaprakash whose impartiality had already raised a few eyebrows, caught behind by Nayan Mongia. The very next ball, Ijaz Ahmed was trapped LBW and again the finger went up. Kumble was on a hat-trick. He didn't get it, but 15 minutes later, Kumble had taken two more wickets in three balls. First down was the potato, Inzamam-ul-Haq, bowled, dragging the ball onto his own stumps and then Yousuf Youhanna plumb LBW. Moin Khan, caught by Sourav Ganguly at slip, was the next to go, followed by opener Saeed Anwar caught at short-leg. Kumble's post-lunch spell of 16 overs had yielded six wickets for 43 runs and, with Anwar gone, any hopes Pakistan had of saving the match were all but dashed.

Salim Malik was then clean bowled, indisputably Kumble's seventh victim after whom Mushtaq Ahmed was caught by Rahul Dravid to become the eighth. Pakistan's tail was exposed and it didn't take Anil Kumble long to stop it wagging. Saqlain Mushtaq was trapped LBW off the first ball of Kumble's next over. Goodwill from the captain assisted Kumble's cause, Azharuddin instructing Javagal Srinath to bowl wide so as not to take the tenth wicket. Inevitably it seems, Wasim Akram was then caught off the bowling of Anil Kumble and Kumble's name was entered alongside Laker's in the record books.