The opening Test of Pakistan’s 1960–61 tour of India, played at Bombay’s iconic Brabourne Stadium from 2-7 December 1960, was a classic battle between two fierce subcontinental rivals. Pakistan, winning the toss and electing to bat first, posted a strong first-innings total led by batting great Hanif Mohammad. India responded with determination, with contributions across their lineup. In the end, prolonged batting efforts from both sides and limited chances to force a result led to a hard-fought draw that showcased grit, discipline, and exceptional individual performances.
Venue & Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Pakistan vs India, 1st Test |
| Dates | 2–7 December 1960 |
| Venue | Brabourne Stadium, Bombay |
| Toss | Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | Match drawn |
| Match Format | 5-day Test Match |
| Umpires | S.K. Ganguli & A.R. Joshi |
| Significance | First Test of Pakistan’s 1960–61 tour of India |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | Pakistan (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | Hanif Mohammad |
| Nari Contractor | Imtiaz Ahmed |
| Polly Umrigar | Saeed Ahmed |
| Vijay Manjrekar | Mushtaq Mohammad |
| Chandu Borde | Wallis Mathias |
| Bapu Nadkarni | Javed Burki |
| Nana Joshi (wk) | Nasim-ul-Ghani |
| Rusi Surti (Debut) | Fazal Mahmood |
| Ramakant Desai | Mahmood Hussain |
| Subhash Gupte | Mohammad Farooq |
| R.F. Surti | Haseeb Ahsan |
Pakistan 1st Innings – 350 all out
Pakistan began confidently after winning the toss, with Hanif Mohammad composing a commanding innings of 160 runs. Supported by a brilliant century from Saeed Ahmed (121), Pakistan reached a strong total of 350 on the first innings.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Hanif Mohammad | 160 | run out |
| Imtiaz Ahmed | 19 | b Desai |
| Saeed Ahmed | 121 | st Joshi b Gupte |
| Mushtaq Mohammad | 6 | lbw b Gupte |
| Wallis Mathias | 0 | c Nadkarni b Desai |
| Javed Burki | 7 | lbw b Gupte |
| Nasim-ul-Ghani | 4 | c Joshi b Desai |
| Fazal Mahmood | 1 | c Joshi b Gupte |
| Mahmood Hussain | 23 | c Desai b Nadkarni |
| Mohammad Farooq | 2 not out | |
| Haseeb Ahsan | 0 | c Contractor b Nadkarni |
| Extras | 7 | |
| Total | 350 all out |
Top Bowlers
- Ramakant Desai – 3/116
- Subhash Gupte – 4/43
- Bapu Nadkarni – 2/75
India 1st Innings – 449/9 declared
India’s reply was steady and strong, with solid contributions up and down the order. Ramakant Desai top-scored with 85, while Nana Joshi made 52 and Vijay Manjrekar, Polly Umrigar, and others chipped in crucial runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 21 | c Pakistan fielder b bowled |
| Nari Contractor | 58 | b bowled |
| Polly Umrigar | 33 | c Pakistan fielder |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 72 | c Pakistan fielder |
| Chandu Borde | 28 | c & b |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 11 | c & b |
| Nana Joshi (wk) | 29* | not out |
| Ramakant Desai | 60 | c & b |
| Rusi Surti | not out | |
| Subhash Gupte | DNB | |
| Extras | 14 | |
| Total | 449/9 declared |
Pakistan 2nd Innings – 166/4
With time running short for a result, Pakistan boosted their second innings with a solid effort from Imtiaz Ahmed (69). At 166/4, the match drifted toward a draw as India could not force an outright win before time expired.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Hanif Mohammad | 0 | c & b Desai |
| Imtiaz Ahmed | 69 | c & b Nadkarni |
| Saeed Ahmed | 41 | c & b Gupte |
| Mushtaq Mohammad | 19 | lbw b Nadkarni |
| Wallis Mathias | 6* | not out |
| Javed Burki | 13* | not out |
| Extras | 18 | |
| Total | 166/4 | declared or end of play |
Match Result – Drawn
After both teams completed two innings each, the match ended in a high-scoring and thrilling draw, with neither side able to force a decisive advantage before the allotted five days concluded.
Highlights of the Match
- Pakistan’s first-innings batting was anchored by Hanif Mohammad’s 160 and Saeed Ahmed’s 121.
- India’s strong first-innings reply of 449/9 declared showcased depth and resilience, led by Ramakant Desai’s 85.
- The match featured fine individual battles in both the batting and bowling departments. cricketarchive.co.uk
- Despite efforts on both sides, time ran out, and the test concluded in a well-earned draw. cricketarchive.co.uk
