History of cricket in Pakistan from 1947 to 1970

This article describes the history of cricket in Pakistan from 1947 to 1970.

Early years: 1947 to 1950

The independent state of Pakistan was established in 1947 following the Partition of India. Major cricket was already established in the country as many clubs and local associations had previously been part of the Indian cricket scene.

Matches were played on an ad hoc basis in the 1947-48 and 1948-49 seasons before Pakistan's Board of Cricket Control (BCCP) was established on 1 May 1949. Games continued to be few and far between for several seasons until a national championship began in 1953.

1947-48 season

On 27–29 December 1947, the Punjab v Sind match at Lahore marked the start of major cricket in Pakistan as an independent country. Later that season, on 6–8 February 1948, the Punjab Governor's XI v Punjab University match took place, also at Lahore. These were the only matches that season owing to disruption caused by the Partition.

1948-49 season

Another Punjab Governor's XI v Punjab University took place at Lahore in March 1949, but it was the only major domestic match in the second season.

The highlight of the 1948-49 season was the arrival of the West Indies team in November 1948. This was the first tour of Pakistan by an overseas team.

The Pakistan national cricket team made its inaugural overseas tour in April 1949 with a visit to Ceylon where the team played two matches versus Ceylon in Colombo. Pakistan, captained by Mohammed Saeed, won the first match by an innings and the second by 10 wickets.

1949-50 season

There were no domestic matches at all in 1949-50 when two touring teams arrived. The first tour was by a Commonwealth XI in November and December 1949. Then Ceylon, on a return tour in March–April 1950, played five major matches.

1951 to 1960

Pakistan's debut in Test Cricket

In October to December 1952, Pakistan’s Test debut was a five-match series in India, the matches played at New Delhi, Lucknow, Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. After India had won the First Test by an innings, Pakistan won the Second Test by an innings thanks to Fazal Mahmood who took 5-52 and 7-42. India won the Third Test and the other two were drawn.

1961 to 1970

National championships

The Qaid-i-Azam Trophy was launched in the 1953-54 season as Pakistan's national championship. The first winner was Bahawalpur. The outstanding player in the inaugural season was the great opening batsman Hanif Mohammed who scored 513 runs at an average of 128.25 with a highest score of 174.

Winners of the Qaid-i-Azam Trophy from 1954 to 1970 were:

• 1953-54 – Bahawalpur
• 1954-55 – Karachi
• 1955-56 – no competition
• 1956-57 – Punjab
• 1957-58 – Bahawalpur
• 1958-59 – Karachi
• 1959-60 – Karachi
• 1960-61 – no competition
• 1961-62 – Karachi Blues
• 1962-63 – Karachi A
• 1963-64 – Karachi Blues
• 1964-65 – Karachi Blues
• 1965-66 – no competition
• 1966-67 – Karachi
• 1967-68 – no competition
• 1968-69 – Lahore
• 1969-70 – PIA

In the 1960-61 season, the BCCP introduced a knockout competition called the Ayub Trophy. Winners to 1970 were:

• 1960-61 – Railways-Quetta
• 1961-62 – Karachi
• 1962-63 – Karachi
• 1964-65 – Karachi
• 1965-66 – Karachi Blues
• 1967-68 – Karachi Blues
• 1969-70 – PIA

Leading players by season

Batsmen

sahid afredi waqar younas waseem akram shoaib malik

Bowlers

shahid afridi waqar younis wasim akram shoaib akhtar

West Indies 1948-49

In the first international tour of Pakistan by an overseas team, West Indies played two major matches versus Sind at Karachi and a Pakistan XI at Lahore. Both matches were drawn.

The West Indies team included George Headley, Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes.

Commonwealth XI 1949-50

The tourists played two matches against an All-Pakistan XI in Lahore and against a Karachi-Sind Combined XI in Karachi. The tourists won the first match by an innings and 177 runs; they won the second match by 6 wickets. Captained by Jock Livingston, who also kept wicket in some games, the team had several well-known players including Frank Worrell, George Tribe, Bill Alley, Cec Pepper, George Dawkes and George Pope.

Ceylon 1949-50

Ceylon in March–April 1950 played five major matches versus: Karachi-Sind at the Karachi Gymkhana Ground; a Pakistan XI at the Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore; the Commander-in-Chief's XI at the Pindi Club Ground in Rawalpindi; Pakistan Universities at Punjab University Ground in Lahore; and Pakistan XI again at Karachi's Gymkhana Ground.

MCC 1951-52

Only a handful of domestic matches were played in the next three seasons, during which the highlight was the arrival of the first touring team from England in November 1951. The tour was organised by MCC and the team also visited Ceylon. MCC played four major matches in Pakistan versus:

• Punjab at Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot – match drawn
• Pakistan XI at Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore – match drawn
• Bahawalpur-Karachi at Bahawal Stadium in Bahawalpur – match drawn
• Pakistan XI at Karachi Gymkhana Ground – Pakistan won by 4 wickets

MCC had a strong team that featured the young Tom Graveney and Brian Statham. Captained by Nigel Howard it also included Derek Shackleton, Jack Robertson, Donald Carr, Roy Tattersall, Frank Lowson, Don Brennan and Dick Spooner.

India 1954-55

Pakistan's inaugural home Test series was against neighbours India and all five matches were drawn:

• 1st Test at Dacca Stadium – match drawn
• 2nd Test at Bahawal Stadium, Bahawalpur – match drawn
• 3rd Test at Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore – match drawn
• 4th Test at Peshawar Club Ground – match drawn
• 5th Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn

MCC 1955-56

New Zealand 1955-56

• 1st Test at National Stadium, Karachi – Pakistan won by an innings and 1 run
• 2nd Test at Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore – Pakistan won by 4 wickets
• 3rd Test at Dacca Stadium – match drawn

Australia 1956-57

• 1st Test at National Stadium, Karachi – Pakistan won by 9 wickets

Fazal Mahmood was Pakistan's matchwinner with 13 wickets.

West Indies 1958-59

• 1st Test at National Stadium, Karachi – Pakistan won by 10 wickets
• 2nd Test at Dacca Stadium – Pakistan won by 41 runs
• 3rd Test at Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore – West Indies won by an innings and 156 runs

Australia 1959-60

• 1st Test at Dacca Stadium – Australia won by 8 wickets
• 2nd Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – Australia won by 7 wickets
• 3rd Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn

The series took place in November and December 1959. In the Second Test, Norm O'Neill scored 134 for Australia and Saeed Ahmed scored 166 for Pakistan. Hanif Mohammed scored 101 in the Third Test for Pakistan.

Richie Benaud was the leading wicket taker of the series with 18.

Australia also played one three-day match against President's XI in Rawalpindi starting 28 November 1959. Australia won this match by 3 wickets.

International XI 1961-62

England 1961-62

• 1st Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – England won by 5 wickets
• 2nd Test at Dacca Stadium – match drawn
• 3rd Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn

Commonwealth XI 1963-64

A Commonwealth XI cricket team toured Pakistan in the 1963-64 season, playing six first-class matches including three against the Pakistan national team.

Captained by Peter Richardson, the Commonwealth XI included several famous or well-known players such as Tom Graveney, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Seymour Nurse, Bill Alley, Khalid Ibadulla, Charlie Griffith and Keith Andrew

Australia 1964-65

• 1st Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn

The teams played one 5 day Test starting on 24 October 1964 at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The Test (and series) was drawn. Khalid Ibadulla top scored for Pakistan with 166 in the first innings. Australian captain Bob Simpson scored 153 and 115. Graham McKenzie was the top wicket taker with 8 wickets.

New Zealand 1964-65

• 1st Test at Pindi Club Ground, Rawalpindi – Pakistan won by an innings and 64 runs
• 2nd Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – match drawn
• 3rd Test at National Stadium, Karachi – Pakistan won by 8 wickets

Ceylon 1966-67

Commonwealth XI 1967-68

A Commonwealth XI cricket team toured Pakistan in the 1967-68 season, playing eight first-class matches.

Captained by Tony Lewis, the Commonwealth XI included several well-known players such as John Hampshire, Mushtaq Mohammed, Brian Luckhurst, John Murray, David Allen and Keith Boyce.

International XI 1967-68

England 1968-69

• 1st Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – match drawn
• 2nd Test at Dacca Stadium – match drawn
• 3rd Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn

New Zealand 1969-70

• 1st Test at National Stadium, Karachi – match drawn
• 2nd Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – New Zealand won by 5 wickets
• 3rd Test at Dacca Stadium – match drawn

Bibliography

• Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development throughout the World by Rowland Bowen
• First Class Cricket in Pakistan (5 volumes) by Abid Ali Kazi
• Playfair Cricket Annual
• Wisden Cricketers Almanack

External sources

• CricketArchive – List of Tournaments in Pakistan
• Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Growth of Pakistan cricket, Wisden 1954
• Ghulam Mustafa Khan, The rise of cricket in Pakistan, Wisden 1967
• Rowland Bowen, Some dates in Pakistan cricket history, Wisden 1967