Army chief congratulates team on Test victory

After Pakistan won the first Test match against England at Lord’s by 75 runs, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif called the team and congratulated them.

“Historic Pakistan cricket victory at Lord’s. COAS called Pak Cricket team Captain Misbahul Haq and congratulated him and the team on victory,” disclosed DG Inter Services Public Relations Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa in a tweet late Sunday evening.

Historic Pak cricket victory at Lords.#COAS called Pak Cricket team Captain MisbahulHaq and congratulated him and the team on victory

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) July 17, 2016

Mohammad Amir in his first Test appearance since the spot-fixing scandal at Lord's ended the match when he bowled last man Jake Ball.



Victory prompted the entire Pakistan team to hit the ground and perform several push-ups in front of the pavilion before rising and performing a salute. It was a reference to the pre-tour military boot camp that the team went through to gain fitness.

The win was Pakistan’s first in 20 years at Lords and the performance understandably impressed former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, who dubbed it a supreme example of team effort.



Speaking to The Express Tribune, the 67-Test veteran credited the entire team for their showing.

“We played ‘collective cricket’,” he said. “It was a massive team effort, from skipper Misbahul Haq right down right to pacer Rahat Ali.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2016.