Story Pakistan's Road to Glory (ICC 2008) **1st test, presentation update**

[Karachi Xpress]

Hi and welcome back to the Shaz and Waz show. With me here again is Wasim Akram. Hi Wasim.

Hi Ravi.

Well the match is over and a rather unexpected result here and India pulling off the win here.

Well yes. Pakistan had this game in there pockets for the first couple of days, but then the big partnership of Laxman and Dravid was the key to India's win.

Well yes absolutely. Laxman was great indeed. Do you think that Pakistan declared at the right time in the first inning??

I actually think that they shouldn't have declared since it was the tail to bat anyway and they wouldn't last too long but would have definitely got some runs on the board.

And do you think that Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal going in to bat so low down the order was a good decision?

Well according to the batting order, it looked like Shoaib Malik sent Umar Gul in to bat as a night watchman but then when he got out, they sent in Iftikhar Anjum which I think was a bad decision, but then he ended up batting good and scored a good 40. So I think Malik should have gone in to bat after Umar Gul got out.

Well thanks Wasim for now, and now we have Rameez down with the presentation ceremony.

Thanks Ravi and welcome to the presentation ceremony of the 1st test between Pakistan and India. It was a really good game with Pakistan dominating India on the first 3 days, but then they gave away the match to India. Well we had quite a few good performances here in this test, but before going on to the man of the match ceremony, I would like to call upon the losing captain, Shoaib Malik.

Hi Rameez

Hi Shoaib. Well a good game here but you guys were unfortunately on the losing side today.

First of all I would like to thank the Indian team to give us a good competition and giving there best out there. And yes we really were unfortunate to lose the game after dominating the first 3 days. Hafeez and Misbah batted really well in the first inning and so did Afridi in the second.

Any comments about the really awesome inning by Laxman and Dravid??

Yes he batted really well and he was the difference between the two teams.

Best of luck for the next 2 tests.

Thanks Rameez

Now I would like to call the winning captain, Anil Kumble.

Hi Rameeez

Hi Kumble. A ver good win for you guys here today.

Well yes. Pakistan dominated us on the first 3 days but then Laxman and Dravid got a really good partnership going and we were back in the game, but I was surprised to see Pakistan going for that chase after losing a few quick wickets. I expected this to be a draw when the 5th day started but we never really gave up and Zaheer bowled really well to keep us in the game all along.

Well a very good game here for you guys today. Any changes we could expect in the next game?

I don't think we will be making any changes in the team. All out batsman actually batted really good except a couple bad innings but then we don't remove players based on just one inning.

Thank you Anil and best of luck for the remaining 2 tests.

Thank you Rameez.

It's now time for the man of the match award. No doubts about it, it has to be VVS Laxman for his brilliant double century and a brilliant partnership with Dravid that saved the game. VVS LAXMAN.

Hi Rameez and thank you.

What an inning Laxman. Did you really expect to get going so good after getting a 0 in the first inning?

It was a really good inning and I had a really good time out there. All I had in mind was that I had to concentrate and not give away my wicket like I did in the 1st inning and then it was all my confidence that got me to that big score.

Were you under any kind of pressure when Dravid got out?

Not really. We had a really big partnership going and we certainly weren't under any pressure once we got 100 runs partnership.

Thank you Laxman and congratulations for the man of the match and a brilliant inning and best of luck for the remaining 2 matches.

Thank you Rameez.

And thats it from the presentation from down here, and we hope to see you back with the 2nd Test. Till then Good bye.

 

[Highlander999]

Great interview there Rameez. Very in-depth and highly interesting to read, looking forward to more updates, stick at it Rameez

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Great presentation very detailed one. Looking forward for more updates and the 2nd test. KUTGW Rameez