Test matches between Pakistan and Australia have always had their own Gunfight at the OK Corral character as even the lesser Pakistan side has always kept Australia wary at least until the start of the series and before each of the Tests.

A series in Australia has often brought out the best in Pakistan, albeit at the end of the tour, and it is only true Aussie grit that has become Pakistan’s nemesis on many an end game. Both nations play under the green caps and are proud fighters even though in the last few years the Pakistanis have been more deferential in their challenges to the Aussies.

The contemporary Pakistani fan will perhaps not realise that Pakistan has as many as 12 Test victories against Australia as against 28 losses. For some reason the perception is that Pakistan just can’t beat Australia in Tests and that is possibly because Pakistan’s best days against the kangaroos were in the 1977 to 1982 period when they won seven of the 12 Tests (including four in a row); this extends from the Sydney Test which was Pakistan’s first victory on Australian soil to the Lahore Test in November 1982 which culminated in a 3-0 whitewashing at home, Pakistan winning by big margins each time.

Following these, the victories have been rare and after long gaps culminating in a near-impossible triumph at Karachi and a last-ditch win (though by an innings) in the mid 1990s. This was followed by 15 years in the wilderness until a close three-wicket win in neutral England in 2010.

When it comes to Test matches against Australia there is this perception that Pakistan just can’t beat them but it is a fact that we have 12 victories there. Glimpses of the more significant ones among them follow

That in fact remains the last Test Pakistan has played against Australia, so they go into the first Test this week with something to smile about, if we ignore the trifling fact that it came after 13 consecutive defeats!

President Iskander Mirza and Prime Minister Huseyn Suhrawardy watching Pakistan defeat Australia at Karachi in 1956

But stats can lie and in this case they ignore how close Pakistan came during these times to uprooting the toughest Australia sides before they eventually lost. At Hobart, Australia required 368 to win and were 126-5; at Colombo in 2002 chasing 316 Pakistan were 230-4 at one stage and then at Sydney in 2005 when they perished on way to an undemanding chase of 176.

Let’s be positive then and pluck out the more hard-earned victories of a once proud team.

Karachi, 1956

Pakistan are playing Australia (led by Richie Benaud and including Keith Miller) for the first time as they stop over on the way back from England for a solitary Test match.

Mushtaq Mohammad and Imran Khan celebrate Pakistan’s victory against Australia at Sydney in 1977

On a matting pitch Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohammad, sharing all the 53.1 overs, shoot out Australia for 80. Pakistan respond with 199 after being 70-5, with Wazir Mohammad (67) and Kardar (69) adding 104. Fazal and Khan take all 10 again and Australia finish ahead by only 68.

Amid boos from a packed crowd (Alimuddin at one stage offers his bat to the crowd in disgust) Alimuddin, Hanif and Gul Mohammad spend well over 160 minutes to get to only 63-1 by day’s end. Worse, the fifth day falls on the fifth death anniversary of Liaquat Ali Khan so the last day is played out the day after for the six more runs needed!

Sydney, 1977

Smarting from a 348-run defeat in the second Test, Pakistan go in with an extra batsman and only two fast bowlers on a green top at Sydney. It’s a bold move but pays off as Imran (6-102) and Sarfraz (3-42) bowl out Australia for 211.

Sarfraz Nawaz at Melbourne in 1979

After falling to 111-4 the second part of the gamble begins paying off as debutant Haroon Rasheed (57) adds 94 with Asif Iqbal who then teams up with Miandad (64) for another 115. Pakistan finish with a 149-run lead as Asif finishes with 120. Imran (6-62) and Sarfraz (3-77) demolish Australia again and Majid Khan sees off a Dennis Lillee cameo. At the ceremony he gifts Lillee his fading yellow farmer’s hat that he had challenged the Australian to knock off his head. Pakistan have won a Test in Australia for the first time in three visits and draw the series.

Melbourne, 1979

A Packer-shorn Australia ‘B’ side is competing with a full strength Pakistan side but now torment Mushtaq Mohammad’s men in the first of two Tests as they come within sight of a seemingly insurmountable 381. Both sides have been restricted to less than 200 in their first innings with Majid’s hundred in the second innings setting up the tall target. A half hour after tea on day five, Allan Border (105) and Merv Hughes (84) have taken Australia to 310-3. Then comes what is arguably the greatest bowling spell ever seen. Sarfraz Nawaz makes the ball do magical things to remove Border and Wood, and then lures a desperate Hughes to mid off. In 33 deliveries he has taken 7 for 1 to finish with 11 match wickets. Reverse swing has been unofficially announced though no one has so far realised this.

Pakistan celebrate after Umar Gul hits the winning run against Australia at Headingley in 2010

Melbourne, 1981

The internal strife-ridden squad of young and old under the captaincy of 24-year-old Javed Miandad reaches the third and last Test battered and bruised after huge defeats in the first two Tests. But then they take on Australia in a counterattack in typical Pakistan panache. On a breaking pitch they reach 500 as Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Terry Alderman fail to take a wicket in some 89 collective overs. Yet there are no hundreds as Mudassar and Zaheer reach 90s with four more getting past 50.

At 286-6, with Graeme Wood having scored a hundred in 368 minutes with just three fours, it seems Australia will beat the follow-on and play for a draw but Imran cleans them up for 293. That is the impetus the Pakistani bowlers need and by afternoon of the fifth day the Aussies are rounded up for 125 with Iqbal Qasim picking up 4-44 and Sarfraz 3-11 in 15 overs.

Karachi, 1994

Can an end game become more chilling than or as calamitous as this? Nothing matters anymore than the one wicket; not David Boon’s hundred or Wasim’s five wickets in setting up a target of 314 for Pakistan; never so high has Pakistan soared to win a Test.

Sarfraz is congratulated for taking another Australian wicket in a Test that was won by Pakistan mainly due to his and Imran’s fast bowling exploits at Melbourne in 1981

At 148-2 on a pitch keeping low, the Aussies are paying to be sketchy in the field, dropping catches. But then its 184-7, becoming 258-9 after Rashid Latif departs for 35; still another 58 runs adrift.

Shane Warne is making the ball talk, sing and dance. Inzamam (coming in at No 8) is still there as Mushtaq Ahmed walks in. They turn to singles and twos as Inzi carves the occasional boundary.

Mush is told by Inzi to keep giving him the strike who replies with two powerful boundaries! Eventually Pakistan are a stroke away but the epic win comes off a leg bye and a missed stumping. Inzamam (58* in 175 minutes) proves to be the great finisher.

Sydney, 1995

As on almost every Australian tour Pakistan enter the third Test on the back of heavy defeats in the first two Tests. A 137 in over seven hours by Ijaz Ahmed (next highest was 39) takes them to 299. Mushtaq, on a slow turner, then spins out Australia for 257 with a fiver as Rashid Latif also takes five catches after they resumed at 151-3.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed’s heroics deny Australia a historic win at Karachi in 1994

In the second innings, the highlight of Australia’s bowling is a last ball dismissal of Basit Ali, bowled between his legs padding by who else but Shane Warne. Three debatable lbw decisions then make Pakistan lose 6-103 to set a target of 247. At 117-2, the powerful Australian middle order is set to make a clean sweep until Mushy once again gets among them. Waqar (3-15) then clean bowls the tail, Australia losing their last four for just two runs; Rashid Latif finishes with eight dismissals in the game.

Headingley, 2010

Playing a Test series against Australia for the first time in England, Pakistan have lost the first Test at Lord’s by 150 runs, short circuiting Shahid Afridi’s attempted return to Test cricket; Salman Butt has now taken over. Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif snare three each and Umar Gul two to rock Australia for a mere 88, then take a 170-runs lead. Pakistan nevertheless let slip the advantage after Australia are 164-5 to be set 180 to win. But at 137-1 (Farhat 67) rest of Pakistan are putting their legs up; suddenly, its 161-6 with only Amir, Asif and Danish Kaneria to come. Then there’s relief as TV umpire votes in favour of Kamran Akmal for a low catch at gully and Pakistan scamper home by three wickets.

So goes the long tale of missed chances and close wins. Picking up from this victory after 15 years the question now to be asked is whether Dubai will see a reverse or another hallelujah?

The writer is a business consultant and a former CEO and board member. He is an author and cricket writer by choice for over 30 years and has served as editor of Asian edition of The Cricketer International, UK.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 19th, 2014