The inevitable happened 35 minutes after the lunch interval on the fourth afternoon of a Test match slated for five days and India by coasting to victory by an innings and 131 runs ripped apart Pakistan's cricket reputation that will take time to regain.
The gloom that pervaded the Pakistan dressing room was not only due to the impending and expected disaster that was to come at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium but the massive margin of defeat for the home formation, after Multan's innings stumble. Besides, India created history by winning the series 2-1 for the first time in the recorded chronicles of Indo-Pakistan 'Ashes skirmishes.
All hopes of the home side rested on the heavy shoulders and sound batting technique of captain Inzamamul Haq but when he committed the error of going across the line of a Balajai ball and was held by a swift-moving wicketkeeper the expectations of Pakistan's fans all over the country and the sparsely present onlookers at the Pindi Stadium vanished into thin air.
Yousuf Youhana faced the agonising situation with a straight bat and some well-judged drives for a personal contribution of 48 and added 81 runs with Asim Kamal for the sixth wicket.
However, as the worries of Pakistan were to multiply Youhana misread a turning delivery of Anil Kumble and was caught by the bowler much to the dismay of his teammates, if PCB Chief Executive was unconcerned busy in his cricket commentary.
Soon Sami returned to the pavilion and Kumble was having the visions of a hat-trick, after setting the record of 10 wickets in an innings at Delhi's Firoze Shah Kotla ground against Pakistan in February 1999.
However, Kumble was hammered powerfully by the incoming batsman, a semi-fit Shoaib Akhtar, the bat swinging free of care to take 18 runs in the four remaining balls of the over. It looked as if he threatened ignition for in the next over he punished Kumble again for 10 runs.
It was a gay part of Pakistan's innings which moment after moment was getting difficult and bleaker. Shoaib could not have delivered more nasty blows to the Indians for he was caught at deep midwicket by Nehra off Kumble trying a big hit. This made the score 221 for eight.
The Indian attack, tight, variegated or otherwise, did not afford a convincing explanation to a Pakistani batting that was bereft of purpose and skill.
Certainly the strip gave some assistance to Balaji and Nehra in the morning but the Pakistanis have faced more terrifying and ferocious attack before and with strong nerves they could have given a better exhibition of batting.
In this tempestuous situation with defeat staring the home side left-hander Asim Kamal displayed confidence, equanimity and best of all a sound methodology to face the Indian bowling.
Every ball was treated on merit and there was a never-say-die spirit in his approach.
He showed a sensible and splendid fight as the defeat neared. Asim Kamal's capabilities have to be accepted and he has to be upgraded in the batting line.
After Pindi's serious reverse will the selectors and PCB hierarchy take a serious look into the deficiencies of the team which had fared well against South Africa and New Zealand earlier? It is a grave setback and a humiliation at the hands of the Indians which cannot be denied.
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