New Delhi, Nov 11: Former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has revisited one of the most unforgettable and chaotic moments from India's cricketing history, a brawl that erupted during the 1989 Karachi Test between India and Pakistan.
Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Manjrekar shared a startling incident that unfolded in the middle of the match.
"During a game in Karachi, I was at mid-off when suddenly a man in local attire walked onto the field, shouting anti-India slogans. Before we could react, he charged straight at our captain, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, he recalled.
A Test Match Turned into a Scuffle
What happened next was nothing short of surreal. "A full-blown scuffle in the middle of a Test match! Srikkanth fought back, his shirt buttons
ripped, and the game stopped as security scrambled to intervene, Manjrekar said, reliving the chaos.
Adding a humorous twist to the tension, he said, "The funniest part? Kiran More jumped in to defend his captain and started kicking the intruder with his pads still on! It was chaos, like a street fight on a cricket pitch.
A Fiery Chapter in India-Pakistan Cricket
The incident took place during the first Test of India's 1989 tour of Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi, a historic series that also marked 's Test debut. Despite the dramatic scenes, the match ultimately ended in a draw.
Batting first, Pakistan posted 409 in 116.5 overs, with a century coming from their skipper Imran Khan (109). Shoaib Mohammad and Javed Miandad scored 67 and 78 respectively as pacers Manoj Prabhakar (5/104) and Kapil Dev (4/69) were the pick of the bowlers for India.
In response, Krishnamachari Srikkanth-led Indian side was bundled out for 262, with with hosts taking the first innings lead of 147 runs. The young fast-bowling pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis wreaked havoc and destroyed the Indian batting line-up by picking up four wickets each.
In the second innings, Pakistan declared for 305/5 as Shoaib Mohammad (95) and Salim Malik (102) starred with the bat for the hosts. Kapil Dev bagged a three-fer in the second innings, setting a target of 453 for the visitors to chase. The Indians showed a strong resistance with the bat in the fourth innings as opener Navot Sidhu scored 85 and shared a stand of 135-runs for the second wicket with Manjrekar, who slammed an unbeaten ton. India scored 303/3 to force a draw and Kapil Dev was adjudged player of the match.
Reliving Cricket's Golden Tales
Manjrekar's recollection sheds light on the volatile and passionate nature of India-Pakistan cricket during that era, where emotions often spilled beyond the boundary lines.
Catch more such inspiring stories and legends of Indian cricket on The Great Indian Cricket Show, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 8 PM IST only on Doordarshan.
