First-Class Matches Pakistan 1975/76 to 1979/80

Preface This is the fourth volume in an ACS series that aims to make available, for the first time in book form, scorecards for first-class matches that have hitherto been difficult or impossible to find in print. Previous volumes in this series have filled gaps in the printed record in Australia, South Africa, and India. In this volume, however, the series turns its attention to the cricketing nation where there are, by far, more substantial gaps in the printed record than anywhere else. That nation is Pakistan. Indeed, the printed coverage of Pakistan cricket would be far worse were it not for the admirable series compiled by Abid Ali Kazi, who was responsible for five volumes that provide scorecards for all first-class matches from the foundation of Pakistan in 1947 to the end of the 1974/75 season. It is difficult to overstate the debt owed to Mr Kazi by anyone with an interest in Pakistan cricket. But Mr Kazi’s fifth and final volume, covering the seasons 1970/71 to 1974/75, was published as long ago as 2003. The present volume, therefore, effectively picks up the account of Pakistan’s cricket at the point where Mr Kazi left off, and carries the story forward a further five seasons to 1979/80. During these five seasons 266 first-class matches were played, for each of which a full scorecard is provided in the pages that follow. Test matches and other games for which full scores are readily available in Wisden or elsewhere are included for the sake of giving a complete picture of each season; but the great majority of matches are domestic games that have previously appeared in print, if at all, only in ephemeral sources such as newspapers or magazines. A distinctive feature of Pakistan’s cricket scene is the presence of first-class sides supported by (and named after) a range of commercial or administrative bodies. Apart from teams representing Railways and Services, which correspond to sides already existing in India before partition, the first of these so-called ‘departmental’ teams to make its first-class bow was Pakistan International Airlines in a friendly match in 1960/61. Over the following seasons the number of such teams gradually increased and they began to be involved in first-class competitions. By the period covered by this book they had become established alongside the geographically-based sides (termed ‘regional’ in Pakistan) that are the mainstay of the senior game in most other countries. As will be seen, most competitions include both types of team. All efforts have been made to track down the vagaries of the various tournaments. The ingenuity of the organizers in providing for teams to skip various rounds, coupled with unplanned changes because of bad weather, disputes, late withdrawals and so forth, mean that there are numerous departures from the standard format. These mysteries are unravelled in the seasonal notes. Outstanding team or individual performances are noted at the foot of the relevant card. Where an achievement is noted as constituting a record, this relates to the circumstances at the time it took place; it does not necessarily mean that it remains a record at the time of writing in 2018. Finally, apologies are due for the late appearance of this volume, which was originally scheduled for February 2018. But efforts to resolve some apparently minor queries had the effect of uncovering important untapped sources of information. Noting and assimilating this material has delayed publication by more than two months; but it can now be said with confidence that this book represents the fullest and most accurate account of this important period that has ever appeared in print. It is hoped that readers will agree that the delay was worthwhile. John Bryant April 2018 5