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England and Pakistan have played 54 Test matches against each other. Numerically England has edge over Pakistan in terms of results having won 14 against 9 by the opponents. Pakistan, however, has slight edge in the 18 test matches held on Pakistan's soil, having won 2 against England's so far the lonely victory in 1961-62 at Lahore.

Nasser Hussain's team is visiting Pakistan with renewed vigour and spirits. The forthcoming Test series will be quite interesting and competitive.

Hereunder is a brief account:

1961-62: ERB Dexter led first England team to Pakistan for an official test series. The home team was captained by wicket keeper-batsman Imtiaz Ahmed. Pakistan led on first innings but collapsed in the second and eventually lost the first Test of the series at Lahore. Javed Burki and late K.F. Barrington scored centuries. Through defiant century in each innings by Hanif Mohammad and another by Javed Burki Pakistan managed to draw the dull contest at Dacca. England having scored mammoth 507 in reply to home team's total of 253 in the first innings held upper hand in the drawn third test at Karachi but due to superb knocks by Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed and Alimuddin Pakistan saved the match.

1968-69: After a gap of seven years, a very strong England team comprising M.C. Cowdrey (captain), T.W. Graveney, KWR Fletcher, B.L. Doliveria, APE Knott, J.H. Edrich, D.L. Underwood, toured Pakistan for 4-day duration 3 test series, which was drawn. Centuries by M.C. Cowdrey and Basil Doliveria enabled England to hold upper hand in the first two tests. Rioting compelled the abandonment of the third test at Karachi on the penultimate morning. England were 502 for 7 with the help of Colin Milburn and T.W. Graveny's centuries and APE Knott's 96 not out when play prematurely ended.

1972-73: A.R. Lewis led England team for the third tour of Pakistan. The three tests were drawn after strong batting lineup on both sides scoring heavily. D.L. Amiss for visitors and Mushtaq Muhammad for the home team were the most outstanding batsmen in the series. The second test match was the first ever played at Hyderabad. Three scores of 99 (Majid, Mushtaq and Amiss) and claiming of all ten wickets by Gifford and Birkenshaw in Pakistan's second innings were the main feature of the third test at Karachi. Majid Khan led Pakistan.

1977: England team led by J.M. Brearley visited Pakistan for another drawn series. Mudassar Nazar, Haroon Rasheed and G.F. Boycott scored centuries in the first two tests and Phil Edmonds claimed 7 for 66 in Pakistan's only innings in the third test at Karachi.

1983-84: Pakistan won first ever test series against England. D.I. Gower led the tourists N.G.B. Cook (11/83) had almost bowled England to a surprise victory in the first test at Karachi, which the home team finally won, well deserved by 3 wickets. The tall scoring second test at Faisalabad was drawn but the third test at Lahore ended on an exciting finish, Pakistan 173 for no loss were going great guns in chasing 243 runs to win when suddenly 6 wickets tumbled in quick succession after addition of only 26 runs, which eventually saved the match for England but not the series. Zaheer Abbas led the home team.

1987: Spinning wizard, Abdul Qadir claimed 30 wickets in the series and Pakistan clinched the test series by 1-0 margin. Qadir created a new Pakistan record by claiming 9 for 56 in England's first innings in the first test at Lahore, which the home team won by an innings and 87 runs. Mudassar scored 120. Pakistan had conceded lead in the second crucial test at Faisalabad, when the unfortunate confrontation between tourists skipper Mike Gatting and umpire Shakoor Rana took place and which marred the match and entire third days play was lost. In the third drawn test at Karachi, G.A. Gooch, D.J. Chapel and Aamer Malik scored scores of 90's. Abdul Qadir claimed another 10 wickets haul.

© Dawn