On 7 February 1999, Anil Kumble took all ten Pakistan wickets in the fourth innings of the Delhi Test at Feroz Shah Kotla, now formally known as Arun Jaitley Stadium. His 10/74 carried India to a 212-run victory and made him only the second bowler in Test history to take every wicket in one innings.
Yet the spell did not begin with Pakistan in disarray. Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi had taken the score to 101 without loss while chasing 420. Kumble had bowled six wicketless overs before lunch. The achievement is better understood not as an effortless performance on a helpful pitch, but as a sustained tactical response to a chase that had started comfortably.
Where did Anil Kumble Perfect 10 take place?
It was taken at the same Delhi venue, but its official name in 1999 was Feroz Shah Kotla. The Delhi & District Cricket Association renamed the stadium Arun Jaitley Stadium in 2019. Historical coverage should therefore retain Feroz Shah Kotla while explaining the modern name.
Read the Arun Jaitley Stadium overview for the venue’s current identity and the Arun Jaitley Stadium records guide for records separated by Test, ODI, T20I and IPL cricket.
What Happened in Anil Kumble’s Perfect 10 at Feroz Shah Kotla in 1999?
Anil Kumble took 10 wickets for 74 runs from 26.3 overs in Pakistan’s second innings at Feroz Shah Kotla on 7 February 1999. India won the Test by 212 runs. It was only the second ten-wicket innings in Test history and the first by an Indian bowler.
India vs Pakistan 1999 Delhi Test: match at a glance
| Match detail | Verified record |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs Pakistan, second Test |
| Venue at the time | Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi |
| Dates | 4–7 February 1999 |
| India | 252 and 339 |
| Pakistan | 172 and 207 |
| Fourth-innings target | 420 |
| Result | India won by 212 runs |
| Kumble’s first-innings figures | 4/75 |
| Kumble’s second-innings figures | 10/74 from 26.3 overs |
| Kumble’s match figures | 14/149 |
| Player of the Match | Anil Kumble |
A common error is to call 10/74 Kumble’s match figures. They were his second-innings figures. After taking 4/75 in Pakistan’s first innings, he finished the match with 14/149.
Why the 1999 Delhi Test mattered before the perfect ten
Pakistan had won the opening Test in Chennai by 12 runs. India therefore entered the second and final Test needing a victory to level the series.
India made 252 and then dismissed Pakistan for 172. In India’s second innings, Sadagoppan Ramesh scored 96, Sourav Ganguly finished unbeaten on 62, and Javagal Srinath contributed 49. The total of 339 left Pakistan with a target of 420.
It was a formidable chase, but the first session did not follow India’s preferred script. Afridi scored 41 and Anwar 69 as the opening stand reached 101. Kumble had not taken a wicket before lunch.
That score is central to the story. Pakistan did not begin the innings overwhelmed by the pitch or by the occasion. Kumble had to change the direction of the match.
The tactical change that brought Kumble’s first wicket
The BCCI’s retrospective says Kumble bowled most of his six wicketless overs before lunch from the Football Stand End. After the interval, he moved to the Pavilion End and concentrated on restricting the scoring.
Afridi eventually pushed at a quicker delivery and edged it to wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia. The breakthrough came at 101. Ijaz Ahmed was trapped leg before from the very next ball.
Kumble later said Afridi’s dismissal opened the “floodgates.” He had tried to keep the attacking opener quiet rather than chase a dramatic delivery. Once that plan produced the edge, Pakistan’s middle order entered against a bowler who had found his line and pace.
How Anil Kumble’s Perfect 10 at Feroz Shah Kotla Unfolded
The next four dismissals turned a breakthrough into a collapse. Inzamam-ul-Haq inside-edged onto his stumps. Mohammad Yousuf was leg before. Moin Khan edged to Sourav Ganguly at slip. Kumble then varied his angle against the well-set Anwar, who was caught by VVS Laxman at short leg.
Pakistan had gone from 101/0 to 128/6. Six wickets had fallen for 27 runs, all to Kumble.
Saleem Malik and Wasim Akram then added 58 and briefly slowed India’s progress. Kumble bowled Malik, had Mushtaq Ahmed caught by Rahul Dravid and trapped Saqlain Mushtaq leg before. Nine wickets were his.
The final wicket came when Akram edged to Laxman. Pakistan were all out for 207, and Kumble’s figures read 26.3 overs, nine maidens, 74 runs and ten wickets.
Anil Kumble’s 10 wickets: the complete dismissal list
| Wicket | Pakistan batter | Score | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shahid Afridi | 41 | Caught Nayan Mongia |
| 2 | Ijaz Ahmed | 0 | Leg before wicket |
| 3 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | 6 | Bowled |
| 4 | Mohammad Yousuf | 0 | Leg before wicket |
| 5 | Moin Khan | 3 | Caught Sourav Ganguly |
| 6 | Saeed Anwar | 69 | Caught VVS Laxman |
| 7 | Saleem Malik | 15 | Bowled |
| 8 | Mushtaq Ahmed | 1 | Caught Rahul Dravid |
| 9 | Saqlain Mushtaq | 0 | Leg before wicket |
| 10 | Wasim Akram | 37 | Caught VVS Laxman |
The dismissal list shows why the spell cannot be reduced to one kind of delivery. Three batters were trapped leg before, two were bowled, and five were caught. The close fielders remained involved, but Kumble also beat batters with straighter balls and changes of pace.
FAQ
Did Javagal Srinath avoid taking the tenth wicket?
The BCCI’s account says Srinath, bowling from the other end after Kumble had taken nine, sent down an intentionally wayward over rather than risk dismissing the final batter himself. Kumble then returned and removed Akram.
This detail has become part of the perfect-ten story because it captures the team’s awareness of what was possible. It should still be presented as a BCCI retrospective account, rather than embellished with unsupported dialogue or invented instructions from the field.
Was Kumble thinking about taking all ten?
The final scorecard makes the record appear orderly. Kumble’s recollection does not.
“I remember every wicket, the way it happened, how it unfolded. It was something that was very very special. You don’t tend to forget that.”
— Anil Kumble, recalling the innings in 2019
After the sixth wicket, Kumble said he was thinking about improving his previous best rather than claiming all ten. Tea arrived while he was tiring after bowling through the session.
The record was therefore assembled one decision at a time. Change the end. Restrict Afridi. Alter the angle to Anwar. Continue after the Malik–Akram partnership. Only near the finish did the possibility of a perfect ten take over the ground.
What were Anil Kumble’s perfect-ten bowling figures?
He took 10/74 from 26.3 overs, including nine maidens, in Pakistan’s second innings. His complete match figures were 14/149.
Who was Anil Kumble’s tenth wicket?
Wasim Akram was the tenth wicket. He was caught by VVS Laxman for 37.
Did India win the match?
Yes. India dismissed Pakistan for 207 while defending 420 and won by 212 runs, levelling the two-Test series 1–1.
