There is 10 overs to go on the 4th day.
Normally that would be quite an exciting time in a test match.
We are most likely in the thick of the 3rd innings of the game. A team fighting hard to set a total. Or another team trying to avoid defeat or getting ready for a tricky chase.
In Karachi 1200 runs piled up and we are not even close to the 2nd innings completing.
Younis Khan has bravely led from the front and run up a triple century. This is undoubtedly a great achivement.
It keeps everyone in Pakistan happy, the selectors who appointed him captain, Younis himself and his fans.
Through all the hate that has been directed at the pitch from all quarters you cant ignore the importance of this innings in the context of the match, although the word ‘match’ is used relatively loosely.
Pakistan needed to score a mammoth 446 to avoid the follow on, so someone had to dig in. Younis came out with a industrial sized shovel. He dug himself a great big hole and jumped in.
No amount of trickery from Murali or Splendid was going to get him out. Of the hole or the ground.
300 runs, a billion deliveries and he’s saved the match for his country. Not bad for your first outing as captain.
Actually that’s a motherfucker of a start.
Before the series, Younis played his cards very close to himself. Even when he was appointed captain no one made a big fuss about it.
But now he goes to bed with all the attention of the world turning to Karachi and him. It would be nice to see a few turn up at the ground too.
imagine, he talks more than he smiles. that too regardless of the hole he’s in. it’s a grt relief not to see malik as captain.
BCC!> It certainly is, he seems to be one of those cool calm and collected ones. Although, one wonders if he will still be smilling when it gets a bit more tricky