In the inaugural Test of the Benaud-Qadir Trophy at Perth Stadium, Australia chose to bat, posting a formidable 346-5 on day one. David Warner’s explosive innings of 164 stole the spotlight, featuring 16 fours and four sixes in 211 balls. However, amidst Warner’s dominance, Aamer Jamal emerged as a game-changer for Pakistan, disrupting Australia’s momentum by claiming crucial wickets.
Australia, cruising at 304-3 at one stage, faced a late-session twist as Aamer Jamal dismissed Travis Head and Warner. The second day saw Mitchell Marsh (90) and Alex Carey (34) extending the sixth-wicket partnership to 90, but Jamal’s exceptional delivery initiated a collapse.
Bowling from round the wicket to the left-handed Carey, Jamal delivered a perfectly pitched ball on off-and-middle stump. The ball subtly moved off the surface, eluding Carey’s bat to crash into the off stump. The precision of Jamal’s delivery was evident – any less movement, and it would have found an edge; any more, and it might have missed the off stump.
Australia, once at 411-5, found themselves all out for 487, courtesy of Jamal’s remarkable figures of 6-111. These figures secured Jamal the second-best debut performance by a Pakistani bowler on foreign soil, following Arif Butt’s 6-89 in Melbourne in 1964/65.
Aamer Jamal’s debut brilliance further etched his name in Pakistan’s Test cricket history, ranking sixth among the best debut figures for Pakistan. He joins the esteemed company of Mohammad Zahid (7-66), Mohammad Nazir (7-99), Abrar Ahmed (7-114), Bilal Asif (6-36), and Arif Butt (6-89) with a performance that adds a new chapter to the legacy of Pakistani debutants.
