Cricket fans were treated to a rare spectacle on Monday as Pakistan brought a shuddering halt to Australia’s upwards trajectory in Test cricket by beating them by 356 runs at Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
For Pakistan, the win at their home-in-exile was remarkable on several fronts: it’s first series win over Australia in 20 years and it’s biggest Test win in terms of runs, thanks largely to captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who scored his second century in 56 balls, equalling Viv Richards’s 28-year old record. The win also lifted the team to number three in Test rankings, its best since 2007.
This is also good news for the UAE. The rise in our cricketing profile means we will get to watch first-class games more frequently – including Pakistan’s three-Test series against New Zealand starting on Sunday. Pakistan’s steady presence in the UAE also gives our promising cricketers an opportunity to improve by seeing the world’s best teams at close quarters.
