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MATCH ONE: INDIA vs PAKISTAN

VENUE: EDEN GARDENS, CALCUTTA
DATE: FEB 16-20

No one could have dreamed of a better setting for the opening match of the Asian Test Championship. India versus Pakistan - epitomising the true meaning of bitter rivalry - at the Eden Gardens, a fabulous ground oozing with anxious anticipation of the battle royale.

What the cricket world saw over the next five days was nothing short of a classic, a masterpiece and a shame.

Pakistan captain Wasim Akram won the toss and rather surprisingly decided to bat on a green-top wicket.

And the veteran fast bowler must have been cursing his wisdom once the Pakistanis slumped to 26 for six with Indian opening bowlers Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad showcased their menace.

There had to be a fightback. It came at the right time, in the form of Moin Khan, the champion of grit, and seasoned Salim Malik who gave the innings some sort of mediocrity taking it to 185.

India started off promisingly but once express tearaway Shoaib Akhter uprooted the stumps of the composed Rahul Dravid and the brilliant Sachin Tendulkar with two out of this world in-swinging yorkers, the home side were promptly restricted at 223. India's 'stars' could well have taken lesson from the wonderful mentality of Sadagopan Romesh who again impressed with a cultered 79.

Pakistan needed something special in batting and Saeed Anwar decided it was about time he got involved into the thick of things. The left-hander stroked to a career best 188 not out and at one time it looked as if the tourists were going to run away with an imposing score but in stepped Srinath.

The lanky Karnataka speedster demonstrated his mettle by slicing through the Pak batting with figures of eight for 86. India were left with a victory target of 279 and they were cruising comfortably at 145 for three. What happened next is now a part of history.

Tendulkar ran into Shoaib Akhter (Again!) who was backing up behind the stumps, and the split second obstruction allowed a throw from substitute fielder Nadim Khan hit the stumps - India's biggest hope was given run out by the third umpire. A section of the Calcutta crowd couldn't digest the verdict and there were familiar scenes of disturbances at the Eden. Play was stopped and a dejected Tendulkar had to come out of the dressing room following requests from the ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya. The master-bat tried his best to calm things down by walking around the field and requesting for patience.

However on the last day of the Test, sensing a Pakistani victory, the fans went on rampage as India slumped rapidly. Bottles, missiles were thrown into the ground. Security personnel beat-up spectators in a vain attempt to calm things down. Play had to be halted for three hours. After much deliberation, the stands were vacated and the match could resume with Pakistan needing just one wicket to win.

Shoaib finished it in style by knocking the stumps of Prasad.

Pakistan got 17 points (12 points for the win and five bonus points for bowling India out within the first 100 overs). India got five bonus points for bowling out Pakistan in 100 overs.

Srinath and Anwar shared the Man-of the-Match laurel.

MATCH TWO: SRI LANKA vs INDIA

VENUE: SINHALESE SPORTS CLUB, COLOMBO
DATE: FEB 25-29

Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lankan skipper asked the Indians to bat first on as flat a track as you will see anywhere in the world and by the end of the day, that decision proved to be more of a show of local hospitality rather than of ingenuity.

India finished the opening day with maximum batting points after scoring 353 for nine and the ever-improving Sadgoppan Ramesh completed his maiden Test hundred. Rahul Dravid also hit a ton as the tourists blasted the class-less home attack to all parts of the SSC.

India declared at 518 but by then it was pretty clear that unless the Lankans did anything stupid, the game would end in dead draw.

Mahela Jayawerdene, one of the fresh batting talents in Sri Lanka, made a marathon 242 in the team total of 485 all out.

With nothing more to play for, India waited until Sachin Tendulkar reached his 19th Test hundred before both captains decided to call it quits.

Sri Lanka managed four bonus points while India added another five to the points they received from the first match.

Jayawerdene was declared Man-of-the-Match.

MATCH THREE: PAKISTAN vs SRI LANKA

VENUE: GADDAFI STADIUM, LAHORE
DATE: MAR 4-8

With seven points to topple India and win a final berth, arguably the weakest Sri Lankan Test side ever arrived in Lahore under the captaincy of Hashan Tillekeratne. There was no Arjuna Ranatunga, no Aravinda de Silva, no Sanath Jayasuriya and no Muttiah Muralitharan - all were sidelined through injury or fatigue.

It was largely the apparent apathy of Wasim Akram and his men that enabled Sri Lanka to get what they wanted - bonus points in batting and bowling.

After winning the toss, hosts batted without any threat to reach 398 all out - new opener Wajahatullah Wasti starred with 130, his first Test hundred.

In the later part of their innings, the Pakistanis virtually threw their wickets away thus allowing Sri Lanka to get the bowling points. However, the lion hearted effort of paceman Promodya Wickremasinghe (six for 103) is not to be underestimated.

Riding on the friendly Pak bowling, Sri Lanka raced to their target of 293 to eclipse India on run-rate. Only after that mission was accomplished, Akram decided to bowl a bit. Remember he didn't pick up the ball almost all day.

Three deliveries later, he became the first Pakistani and 22nd bowler in the 125-year history of Test cricket to have achieve a hattrick.

Sri Lanka's batting heroes were centurions Romesh Kaluwitharana and Russel Arnold.

In Pakistan's second innings, Wasti got another hundred which put him in an elite group of batsmen who have scored a ton in both innings of a Test.

When Pakistan declared, Sri Lanka required 385 to win. But bad weather helped their bid for safety. The game eventually ended in a tame draw when stumps were drawn for the curtailed final day.

Wasti was the unrivalled choice for Man-of-the Match.