On This Day: Anil Kumble Took Perfect Ten Against Pakistan: Watch
21 years back on this very day, Anil Kumble scripted history when he became the first Indian and only the second bowler after England’s Jim Laker to claim all 10 wickets in an innings. He registered mind-boggling figures of 10 for 74 in just 26.3 overs as India registered their biggest Test victory over Pakistan.
After losing the first game of the series in Chennai by just 12 runs, India beat Pakistan by 212 runs in the must-win clash in Delhi to level the iconic series 1-1. India posted a modest 252 in the first innings before the bowlers came up with an impressive show to bowl out the visitors for 172.
Anil Kumble had starred with the ball in the first innings too, picking up 4 wickets. Half-centuries from Sadgopan Ramesh (96) and Sourav Ganguly (62*) then helped the post a big target for 420 for Pakistan. And what followed thereafter was just unimaginable. Pakistan started the chase on the front foot with Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar adding 101 runs before Anil Kumble struck to remove the former.
On the very next ball, he accounted for Ijaz Ahmed as the floodgates opened. Pakistan batsmen fell like a pack of cards and were eventually all out for 207. As the Indian cricketing fraternity celebrates the 21st anniversary of that historic spell from Anil Kumble, here is a short clip showing all of his ten wickets.
Perfect 10#OnThisDay in 1999, @anilkumble1074 became only the second man (after Jim Laker) to take all 10 wickets in a test inngs – 10/74 v Pakistan.
Fall of wickets:
S Afridi
Ijaz A
Inzamam
M Yousuf
Moin K
S Anwar
Saleem M
Mushtaq A
Saqlain M
W Akrampic.twitter.com/EpgnMdzyCu— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) February 7, 2020
Anil Kumble is India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests as well as ODIs and is regarded as one of the most decorated spinners of all time. He represented India in 132 Tests and 271 ODIs in which he scalped 619 and 337 wickets respectively. The former India spinner also has a Test century to his name that came against England in their own backyard.
After his playing career was over, he took charge of the Indian team in 2016 before the spell came to an end in an unceremonious manner because of differences with captain Virat Kohli. Last year, he was appointed as the director of cricket operations of Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
