How Rahul Dravid Outsmarted Kamran Akmal in the 2006 ODI

(Rahul Dravid celebrating the wicket of Kamran Akmal with MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina)

Indian cricket has seen a lot of cricketers over the years who have been brilliant on the field with the bat and ball. However, apart from the on-field things, there are some players who have got the ability to play with the mind of the opposition. Such was the calibre of one of the best test batters of the Indian team, Rahul Dravid who mastered the technique of getting one step ahead of the opponents during the game. The 2006 ODI series between India and Pakistan was a competitive one and as a senior, Rahul Dravid plotted a plan against Kamran Akmal that worked well and hence India was able to get the desired wicket in that match.

Rahul Dravid’s plan against Kamran Akmal

The greatness of Rahul Dravid has always been a hot topic for all cricket lovers. With over 13000 test runs and 10000 ODI runs, he has been a long servant of the Indian team and his achievements show why he is considered as one of the best players of the Indian team. In one such instance shared by India’s star middle order batter Suresh Raina, he told how good was Rahul Dravid during his playing days for the Indian team. After making his debut in 2005, Suresh Raina was always an energetic player on the field and his catching ability was known to everyone at that time.

In the 2006 ODI series against Pakistan, India was playing quite well and was already 2-1 up in the 5-match series with the 4th ODI scheduled at Multan. In that match, Pakistan got the opportunity to bat first and put up a good total on the board. Pakistan openers, Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt started their innings cautiously and were looking good at the start. With the end of the 6th over, Pakistan was at 14-0 and their openers were set now.

(Indian players celebrating after having the wicket of Kamran Akmal)

Seeing this, Rahul Dravid continued with Irfan Pathan who was swinging the ball well and Kamran Akmal was finding it difficult to play him. Seeing this, Rahul Dravid formed a plan to outsmart Kamran Akmal and get him out at the point fielding position. In the interview, Suresh Raina said that he was young in the team and was looking to make an impact when the rule of catching fielders have to be within 15 yards came running into the mind of Dravid and this is where he asked Raina to field at the point position. The plan unfolded seamlessly as soon as Raina took his position in the field.

Akmal fell for the trap, hitting the ball straight to him. Irfan Pathan provided the opportunity by creating room for Akmal to attempt the shot. Raina, known for his exceptional fielding skills, caught the ball perfectly. The entire team erupted in celebration as Raina rushed to share the moment with his captain. Their unity and teamwork were evident in the orchestrated dismissal, showcasing the power of strategic planning in cricket.

Talking about the catch and the plan, Suresh Raina revealed that,

“I remember the catch against Pakistan which I had taken at that point. Rahul Dravid was our captain, Irfan Pathan was the bowler and Kamran Akmal was batting. There was a rule at that time to keep catching fielders in the 15 yards. So Rahul Bhai asked me will you stand at the point? I said ‘yes please tell me where to stand’. He said lean forward and be ready to take a catch. “The moment Irfan delivered the next ball, Akmal smashed it hard, I just saw the ball and it came straight into my hands. The thing that impressed me most was that Rahul Bhai knew that a catch might come there and it came in the next delivery. The reason why I remember that catch is that the captain, bowler, and fielder were all involved. And it is the job of the fielder to always be ready for a catch. “

https://youtu.be/EldPGSrZ8Us?si=i2vcElQLvIY7aM32

Suresh Raina has always been an impact player on the field which has allowed the team to rely on him for tough catches and fielding. Furthermore, that series against Pakistan helped him make a name for himself as one of the best fielders in the game.

India won the match by 5 wickets

Coming to the 4th match of the ODI series, India already had a 2-1 lead and for the Pakistan team, it was the last chance to stay alive in the series. However, their batting order denied them a chance to make a comeback in the series. With early wickets in the match, things looked out of order for the Pakistan team and hence they were bundled out for just 161 runs in 41.5 overs of the game. The only batter who made it big was Inzamam-ul-Haq who managed to score 49 runs before being dismissed by Sachin Tendulkar in the game.

(Indian team celebrating after winning the ODI series against Pakistan)

Amongst the Indian bowlers, RP Singh was the one who dismantled Pakistan’s batting order by picking up 4 wickets in his 10 overs and giving just 40 runs to the opposition. In the second innings of the match, the Indian team also wasn’t able to start well as Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for a duck. But a partnership from Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh got India close to the total. In the end, it was Suresh Raina who scored 35 runs from 34 balls to seal a win for the Indian team by 5 wickets and they even got the series win in Pakistan under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid. In the final match of the series, India again registered a victory by 8 wickets as a century from Yuvraj Singh ensured that India claimed the series by 4-1 and ended it in a dominating way.