"I saw New Zealand players crying", Inzamam recalls 2002 Karachi bomb blast

That bomb blast led to the cancellation of New Zealand's tour of Pakistan.

By Kashish Chadha - 06 May, 2020

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam Ul Haq recalled how the bomb blast in Karachi led to the cancellation of New Zealand's 2002 cricket tour of his country. 

Both teams were preparing for the second Test of the series, scheduled to be played at the National stadium. However, the bomb blast meant that the Black Caps were forced to leave Pakistan immediately. 

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Inzamam remembers the horrible visuals, as the blast occurred when players from both teams were having their breakfast. 

"When we went to Karachi there was a bomb blast. The blast happened after the 1st Test match in Lahore. Thanks to God that no player got injured. It was a horror full day," Inzamam was quoted as saying by India Today

"My room was on the side where the bomb blast happened. The mirrors from one side of my room broke and flew to the other side of wall. It happened with every room on that side of the hotel. I ran downstairs and when I reached there I saw New Zealand players crying in the swimming pool."

"I myself watched that the mirrors and the curtains have come off but still asked the policeman about what just happened. He said it's a bomb blast and asked me to go downstairs. The New Zealand team went back home that day and even our players coukd not sleep for at least 1 week."

One of Pakistan's finest-ever batsmen, Inzamam, has better memories of the first Test of that series in Lahore, where he made an epic 329 in his team's innings victory. 

"329 was a very memorable inning for me as it's my biggest innings," he said. "The special thing about that day was that it was extremely hot. Imran Nazir also made a hundred then and we were on top. As I built my innings, the poor Kiwi players were getting very tired. When I passed 300, their body language told me that you can score as much as you want, just let us go."

"If I had batsmen alongside me and we were 5-6 down, I think I had the opportunity to make a world record. There was enough time and the runs were also coming fast. Maybe I could have gone on to make more than 400 runs. I just needed one more hour to get to make a world-record," he added. 

(Inputs from India Today)

By Kashish Chadha - 06 May, 2020

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