PTV bowlers speak after their mind-blowing target defence as Amad Butt and Ali Usman said they did not believe that victory was possible.
PTV bowlers on record-breaking defence: ‘Still can’t believe we did it’
By the time the fourth innings of their President’s Trophy match started in Karachi, the prospect of Pakistan TV (PTV) defeating Sui Northern (SNGPL) was merely theoretical. They had given SNGPL just 40 runs to win after being bowled for 111 in the third innings, a total so low it had never been defended in the preceding 232 years of first-class cricket.
Even PTV’s bowlers, who had to accomplish the nearly impossible, didn’t think they could win.
“We thought before entering the field that there’s a first time for everything and records are there to be broken,” fast bowler Amad Butt, who took four wickets in the chase, said in a conversation with the PCB’s in-house media channel. “But it was just a thought, not necessarily hope. We didn’t do anything special, just went out and did our best.”
Sensationally, that proved to be just barely adequate. Ali Usman, a left-arm spinner, complemented Butt. As PTV dismissed SNGPL for 37 and smashed a record that had stood since 1794, Usman claimed the last six wickets with amazing figures of 9.4-5-9-6.
“As Amad said, we weren’t expecting to defend 40 runs,” Usman said. “But in the team huddle, we just said we’d try our best. We weren’t talking of victory, just of putting in the best effort.
“When we got them five down, I began to feel we could win. We could take five more wickets. When Sajid, their sixth wicket fell, and the way I was bowling, I was confident that even the few runs they had left would become difficult.”