Wasim Akram, legendary Pakistan pacer, has made a huge claim that if India and Pakistan play in a Test series, the Shan Masood-led side will easily defeat India, especially if the game is played on a spin-friendly pitch.
India and Pakistan experienced different Octobers, with Rohit Sharma’s team suffering a devastating home series setback, exacerbated by their obvious vulnerability against New Zealand spinners.
New Zealand’s spinners, led by Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner, and part-timer Glenn Phillips, took 37 of the team’s 57 wickets. India’s top players, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, had their lowest series averages at home, while the Black Caps dominated on turning strips in Pune and Mumbai.
On the other hand, Pakistan after conceding a record total of 827 runs in the first Test against England losing the match by an innings, came back to win the Test series 2-1. This was done thanks to spin-friendly pitches in Multan and Rawalpindi on which Sajid Khan and Noman Ali ran through the England batting order.
The two spinners then took 39 of the 40 wickets that fell in successive games in Multan and Rawalpindi as Pakistan secured their first home series win since 2021.
“Pakistan will beat India on a spinning track”- Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram spoke with former England batter Michael Vaughan while commentating on the first One-Day International between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne on Monday.
“I would want to see a Test series between India and Pakistan,” remarked Vaughan to which Akram replied: “It will be massive. It will be good for the game, for two cricket-crazy nations.”
While Vaughan affirmed that “Pakistan can now beat India on the turners”.
Wasim Akram added that: “Pakistan have a chance to beat India in Tests now on a spinning track. They have been hammered by New Zealand 3-0 at home.”
India and Pakistan have not played a Test match since Pakistan’s 2007 visit to India, when the hosts won the three-match series 1-0. India won the first Test in Delhi before drawing in Kolkata and Pune. India and Pakistan have also met in any World Test Championship match since 2019.
Overall in 59 Test meetings, Pakistan has won 12 games to India’s nine with 38 matches ending in draws between the sides.
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