On 3 May 2002, Pakistan recorded one of the most comprehensive victories in Test cricket history. Waqar Younis-led Men in Green defeated New Zealand by an innings and 324 runs in Lahore, the fifth-biggest win by any team in this format. Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and former pace sensation Shoaib Akhtar are the two leading forces behind this stunning victory.
The hosts had won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium. Right-arm pacer Daryl Tuffey handed an early setback for Pakistan with a first-over wicket of Shahid Afridi. The partnership between opener Imran Nazir and Younis Khan looked promising but the latter was dismissed before taking it deep.
However, that brought Inzamam-ul-Haq to the crease and the two Pakistani batters made the Kiwi bowlers sweat hard in the middle. The duo put on a 200-plus run partnership for the third wicket, which crumbled when Nazir left the crease with 127 off 203 balls. There was little contribution from the rest of the batters and despite losing partners in frequent intervals, Inzamam hung on till the end to guide the team to a mammoth score of 643.
Batting at No.4, Inzamam ended Day 1 at 159 and notched up his triple century on the second day of the clash, becoming only the second Pakistani cricketer to achieve the feat in Test cricket. He smashed a brilliant 436-ball 329 runs, including 38 boundaries and nine sixes. He was also able to break the record for most runs scored in boundaries (206) in an innings in Tests for Pakistan.
Shoaib Akhtar tear apart Kiwi batting line-up
The New Zealand batters came out determined to put up a fight in this massive chase, but Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar had other plans. The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ tore apart the Kiwi batting line-up with a six-wicket haul while conceding just 11 runs. The visitors were bundled out for just 73 runs and the stage was set for a humongous win.
Stephen Fleming and Co. were then enforced follow-on, only to let Pakistan score in the second innings. Lou Vincent and captain Fleming managed to score half-centuries but none of that was going to get them anywhere near the first innings deficit. New Zealand’s 77-over resistance ended up with 246 runs on the board, handing Pakistan a massive win of an innings and 324-run. This time leg- spinner Danish Kaneria bossed the bowling procedure with a fifer.