- 7/59 in the Second Test against Zimbabwe at Harare in September 2005
The Second and Final Test match between India and Zimbabwe was played between 20th and 22nd September 2005, at the Harare Sports Club, Harare.
Put into bat, the home team struggled to face the onslaught on Indian pace battery consisting of Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan. They were tormented by the guile of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.
Pathan provided the necessary breakthrough in the very third delivery of the match by removing one of the openers, Brendan Taylor (4), who holed out to the first slip fielder, Rahul Dravid, the ‘best in the business.’
Ten overs later, Irfan struck again, removing the other opener, Terry Duffin (12), who was caught by another great fielder who normally does not drop catches, VVS Laxman.
Thereafter he went on to claim the wickets of the then Zimbabwean skipper and wicket-keeper, Tatenda Taibu (0), Hamilton Masakadza (27), Andy Blignaut (13), Keith Dabengwa (18) and Blessing Mahwire (14).
Fiery bowling display by Pathan restricted Zimbabwe to a very low score of 161 runs in their first innings.
Irfan Pathan returned with the analysis of 15.2-4-59-7. With the bat, he also scored 32 runs.
India replied with a massive 366 runs aided by great innings by Gautam Gambhir (97), Rahul Dravid (99) and their second-wicket partnership of 123 runs. India took a lead of 205 runs.
Another wonderful bowling display by Irfan Pathan in the second innings, when he picked up the wickets of Brendan Taylor (4), Terry Duffin (10), Hamilton Masakadza (71), Charles Coventry (25) and Keith Dabengwa (0), restricted the Zimbs to 223 runs thus requiring India to score 19 runs for a win. This they did pretty simply and won the match by 10 wickets.
Having won the First Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, by an innings and 90 runs, India also won the series 2-0.
Irfan Pathan’s second innings analysis read 19-3-67-5, while the match analysis was an impressive 34.2-7-126-12.
Irfan Pathan was awarded the Player of the Match for his performance.
In the first Test also Pathan”s bowling numbers were very impressive. He bowled 30.5 overs, of which 7 have been maidens, took 9 wickets, giving away 111 runs. He also scored 52 runs in the only innings that India batted.
Irfan Pathan was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.
Eventually, he was awarded the Player of the Series for his overall display, both with the ball and the bat.
