In the glorious history of Pakistan cricket, few moments shine as brightly as Iqbal Qasim’s match-winning performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in December 1981. This rare vintage footage takes you back to the 3rd Test between Pakistan and Australia, where Qasim’s spin wizardry helped Pakistan record a famous victory by an innings and 82 runs.
In the first innings, Iqbal Qasim toiled hard, bowling 55 overs with 17 maidens, and returned with figures of 3 for 104. His control and patience kept Australia in check, setting the tone for Pakistan’s dominance.
But the real magic came in the second innings, when Qasim turned the match decisively in Pakistan’s favor. With relentless accuracy and clever flight, he bowled 24 overs with 11 maidens, picking up 4 wickets for just 44 runs. The Australians struggled against his guile, unable to find answers to his steady spin.
This memorable performance was instrumental in Pakistan’s comprehensive win, and it remains a proud chapter in Pakistan cricket’s overseas triumphs. Iqbal Qasim may not always be mentioned among the most celebrated names, but his contribution to the game was invaluable. His steady temperament and mastery of spin made him one of Pakistan’s unsung heroes.
👉 In this video, you will witness Iqbal Qasim’s brilliance, rare match footage, and the artistry of a spinner who played a crucial role in Pakistan’s Test cricket history.
Relive the golden era of cricket, enjoy the vintage memories, and celebrate one of Pakistan’s finest moments on Australian soil.
00:00Cricket has given us many unforgettable moments, where skill, patience and determination combine
00:06to create history.
00:07Among these timeless memories stands the brilliance of Pakistan's left-arm spinner Iqbal Qasim.
00:13Known for his subtle variation and nagging accuracy, Qasim was a master at weaving pressure
00:19on best man, often breaking partnership at crucial stages.
00:23In this rare footage, we revisit the third test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
00:27in December 1981.
00:30When Pakistan faced Australia, it was a contest that showcased the true art of spin-balling.
00:35In the first inning, Iqbal Qasim bowled, tirelessly sending down 55 overs, including 17 mid-ins,
00:42and claimed three wickets for 104 runs.
00:44His spell was a testament to endurance and control, gradually wearing down the Australian batting
00:50order.
00:51But it was in the second innings where Iqbal Qasim truly stamped his authority.
00:55With Australia under pressure, he delivered a spell of sheer brilliance, 24 overs 11 mid-ins,
01:00and four wickets for just 44 runs.
01:03His spin gripped the surface.
01:05His accuracy suffocated the past man and his guile-forced mistakes.
01:09The Aussies had no escape from his web.
01:12Thanks to his effort, Pakistan crossed Australia by an innings and 82 runs, a famous victory
01:17etched in the cricketing history.
01:19The match remains a glowing chapter in Pakistan proud traditions of spin-balling.
01:26Here's Iqbal Qasim now bowling to Bruce Laird, and Laird plays right across the line, and
01:32just once too often.
01:33I'm sure there's a big appeal, and that must be gone, yes he's out, LBW.
01:39Laird going for the pull shot there, which on a pitch like this one is a bad mistake.
01:45And that one keeping just a little bit low, missing the bat, and struck right in front
01:50of the wickets.
01:51And so Qasim makes the breakthrough.
01:53And they're going for the pull, that ball keeping a little low, and he hit over the top of
01:58it, and out Plum LBW.
02:01So finally the breakthrough has come, and it's 75 for one.
02:11Iqbal has a magnificent record, reached 3370 guest matches, highest score of 247 and a batting
02:22average of 55.
02:23It's a good ball by Qasim with Chappell, just a little bit tentative on the front foot there,
02:3219 centuries and 28 half centuries, 5,948 runs, what a record.
02:43Oh, that's a good ball, my goodness.
02:45Chappell beaten there by flight.
02:47It was good bowling by Qasim.
02:50That was a beautiful delivery, beaten through the air, and it turned also, but he had his
02:55foot in the crease, and Barry not taking the ball well.
02:59I suspected he was in trouble, and Barry, what's the back foot, the back foot just outside,
03:05and Barry fumbling the ball there, well that was a clear opportunity for a stumping, and
03:10Greg Chappell would have been out for naught, have Barry taken that ball and lifted the bales.
03:18Iqbal Qasim bowls now to Alan Borda, and here's an error from Graham Wood that will have given
03:24him a sleepless night.
03:26Well, it's Chappell run out, the ball was in, I suppose, there, and once again, Graham
03:33Wood involved in a run out, we're over here.
03:37An elementary mistake, Alan Borda departs, run out by half the length of the pitch after
03:46this episode, pushed away on the offside, off the pad, barely thinking of a run, Wood
03:51coming through like an express train, Borda saying no, and Borda being the slow goods train
03:59that fails to make the sidings.
04:01Now that was a tragedy, Borda would fire a spin, he was on the back foot as he fired
04:06the ball to a backward point.
04:08It was Wood's call, but certainly was never one on as far as Alan Borda was concerned.
04:17Borda playing the ball off his pad, hesitates, says go back.
04:22Alan Borda comes through, he was backing up, he's safe, Borda running to the danger end,
04:27is well out, and look at Wood, he doesn't even look round now at Alan Borda, he just throws
04:32his head to one side, turns around, and the only thing he can see is the back of Borda departing
04:38for the football, and the three for 127, and 71, Iqbal Kazim, is now starting his 31st over,
04:54it's one for 57, it's well unchanged, other than the breaks for the close of play and lunch.
05:08And Hughes has quietened down a little in the last few overs.
05:27And he's gone, didn't quite get over it, Iqbal deserved that wicket.
05:35He's just coming down a drive, the ball's a little straighter than some of the other
05:38shoes has driven, and he's out now for 34, Kortenbald Iqbal Kazim.
05:42Just enough turn there, the catch taken quite safely, the baller going down to it, and it's
05:52four for 173.
05:57It almost exclusively from this northern end.
06:03Yardley faces Iqbal Kazim now, and Yardley obviously didn't find this shot in any batting
06:09manual.
06:10Goal to him, and then comes back with the arm.
06:16And Yardley paying the penalty there for the stroke that should never be played on a pitch
06:21like this.
06:22Cut, the ball coming in from outside off stump.
06:25Yardley had tried this several times against Basim Rajar, and been lucky to get away with
06:29it because the ball was far too close to his off stump.
06:32At that time the delivery was even close to the off stump, Yardley attempting the overambitious
06:36cut, paid the penalty.
06:38He's out for a valiant twenty, and Australia have slumped to seven for 286.
06:44The lead for a hundred against his name, John Tomson.
06:57Only the one there.
06:59Well, what will Alderman's instructions be?
07:03There's men coming in from, or the lead mid-off is coming in.
07:16And Kahn has gone in to a more ordinary mid-off, and he's also signalled Zaheer at mid-on
07:23to come in.
07:25And Alderman's away with the single.
07:31So does Thompson look at the single off the last ball now?
07:37That's the one coming up.
07:39And he's asking the umpire how many balls to go.
07:43I'm not sure if we've got an answer.
07:50What?
07:51Well played.
07:54And he's going to pick up two.
08:04That's the end of the over nine for 292.
08:08Call Cassine to resume the attack.
08:13Oh, and that turned.
08:17Turned quickly and beat the outside edge of the bat.
08:20Pitching almost perfectly in line with Ofstar.
08:23And in fact, that ball knocked a little piece up of the wicket.
08:27Just as it pitched in there, it's been knocked down.
08:30If you just watch closely at the replay, you'll notice that as the ball pitched, a little piece was knocked up.
08:40There it is.
08:41And, uh, perfect length, just outside Ofstump.
08:45So that's the edge of one of those cracks now, which is beginning to come loose.
08:48And, uh, that's in a very interesting place too, because it's almost dead in line with Ofstump, which suggests that the batsman is going to have to play.
08:56And, of course, you saw the batsman there with the handle of his bat just knocking it back in.
09:02It really was a nasty crack.
09:05And that's been one of the causes of the fall of the Australian wickets today.
09:10And he'll be looking for that little spot again.
09:16The ball pitched and, in fact, knocked a piece of the turf up.
09:21It was around about that spot.
09:27And really tough at Miranda's there.
09:30Had, shall we say, mixed reactions.
09:32That really carried him, I think.
09:34Let's have a look, see if the ball carried, did carry it.
09:37Meandert put it down, he was exasperated.
09:40And in desperation, he threw it at the bowler's end, helping to run the batsman backing up out.
09:46Yes, that was certainly a chance.
09:48Meandert juggling away with the ball.
09:51And, uh, he was upset that he dropped it.
09:53The ball turned off the outside edge, went to Jarvis very quickly, hit the right hand, bobbled around, and eventually hit the ground.
10:01So, a clear opportunity there.
10:02This game's seen some unusual dismissals, but, uh, there won't be one to better this for novelty.
10:11Oh, that might be out. That was off the boot of the wicketkeeper. He's given him out, too. Yes.
10:15That's a very good decision, that by umpire Baylash, that ball deflected off the bat, down onto the wicketkeeper's boot and up into Magid's hands.
10:23A great decision, but an extremely bad piece of luck for Kim Hughes. Look at this. He's letting the ball go.
10:34The ball hits the toe of the bat, hits the toe of the keeper. From there it goes up to the first slip position where Magid takes the catch.
10:42How unlucky can you be?
10:43You might see a little bit from this end. Have a look at the ball. Off the toe, Hughes just trying to take his bat away, hits the toe, up in the air, and taken by Magid, who I don't think thought it was out.
10:54Job at me and dad wasn't, uh, too long to decide it was out, and what a magnificent decision that was by umpire Baylash.
11:00And very bad luck for Kim Hughes. Four, four, twenty-nine.
11:08Iqbal Kazim rolling to Dirk Wellham.
11:20Two more to Wadham.
11:22Two, seven, three.
11:26Iqbal Kazim to Laird.
11:28Iqbal Kazim to Laird.
11:31And that's down the ground and out.
11:34Well, that one hit in the air and really Laird, for some reason, decided to try and hit that ball down the ground.
11:40Perhaps it turned just a little bit and hit it straight to Safras.
11:43Well, Safras would be pretty happy to have taken that catch, because he made a mess of one in the first innings.
11:48And that was straight to him, and he didn't make a mistake.
11:51That's a flight of delivery, and Laird not to the pit of it.
11:56Lops it, and Safras making a simple effort look great.
12:02Diving over, but Laird is back in the pavilion, and a good breakthrough for Pakistan.
12:07And the score, 5-4-76.
12:12And that is out, caught behind.
12:16Don't think Ily's too pleased about it.
12:20Don't think he's pleased about it at all.
12:22The ball, umpire Dick French is getting him out, caught Rosimbari.
12:28Oh, Iqbal Kazim's following.
12:30And he finishes Dennis Lillie's appearance at the crease.
12:33Very frustrating game for him.
12:35Thought he was going to break the record.
12:37And that outside edge, Dick French upholding the appeal.
12:42Caught behind, just plots forward.
12:44Changed his line, went over the wicket.
12:46And a very confident appeal.
12:48So, Kazim, he's third wicket.
12:53And Australia 8 for there, in the snock.
13:02And that's all he's going to make.
13:04That cry of anguish there was because he knew he'd hit it to Merson Khan.
13:09A little bit of extra bounce there.
13:12And Rodney Marsh has clubbed it straight to the man at point.
13:15The only man out there with a chance of catching.
13:18Merson Khan took a great catch yesterday to get rid of Graham Wood.
13:22And then quite a good catch also.
13:25But the one part was that it wasn't going to carry and he had to come forward.
13:29And lunging and grabbing it, falling and holding onto it.
13:32Which was the important thing to do.
13:34So, good catch by Merson Khan.
13:36Exit Rodney Marsh.
13:38He's out for 21 and now a straight out 9 for 121.
13:41This performance by Iqbal Qasim was not just about numbers.
13:47It was about character, resilience and artistry.
13:50It reminded the world that spin-balling, when mastered, could turn the course of a match even on foreign soils.
13:56Iqbal Qasim may not always be spoken of in the same breath as some of the more celebrated names.
14:03But his role in Pakistan cricketing success was immense.
14:06A man of quiet demeanor, he let his body do the talking.
14:10Steady, disciplined and effective.
14:12Performances like Ed won at the MCG in 1981.
14:16Endured that his legacy will always remain a part of Pakistan's golden cricketing memories.
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