By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Bangalore : Pakistan are fighting back just as did in the Kolkata Test. They were at 369 for five, replying to India’s first innings 626, at the close of third day’s play of the final Test match here Monday.
Half-centuries from stand-in captain Younis Khan (80, 220 minutes, 156 balls, 12x4s), Salman Butt (68, 206 minutes, 149 balls, 13x4s) and Misbah-ul-Haq (54 not out, 192 minutes, 162 balls, 8x4s) kept alive Pakistan’s hopes of at least saving the Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. At stumps, Misbah was batting with Kamran Akmal (32 not out, 192 minutes, 162 balls, 8x4s).
Pakistan, need to win this match to level the series 1-1 and avoid becoming the first team since 1979 to lose a Test series in India, still trail by 257 runs and need 58 more to avert the follow-on.
India’s 70 extras, comprising a whopping 31 byes, 25 leg-byes and 14 no-balls broke their own record and is just one run short of the unwanted world record of 71 extras by West Indies, also against Pakistan in Georgetown in 1988. India’s previous record of 60 was against England in Birmingham in 1979.
Lanky pacer Ishant Sharma was the worst offender, overstepping the line eight times, as his problems with no-balls continued in his second Test.
The six-man Indian attack, except for Sourav Ganguly, bowled an erratic line throughout the day and wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik’s dismal performance added to the woes.
But credit is due to Younis, Butt and Misbah, who took full advantage of the India’s undisciplined performance and gave Pakistan a fighting chance.
Misbah particularly was in total control of the situation as he played his shots with assurance. Younis,too, was in good touch and reverse-swept Harbhajan Singh and the stroke also was his undoing as he missed one to be bowled by the off-spinner.
Opener Butt, who looked good for big know, was caught behind off Ganguly for a well-struck 68.
SCOREBOARD
Day III, Third Test, India vs. Pakistan, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
India (1st innings): 626
Pakistan (1st innings, overnight 86/1):
Salman Butt c Karthik b Ganguly 68
Yasir Hameed lbw b Kumble 19
Younis Khan b Harbhajan 80
Mohammad Yousuf c Yuvraj b Pathan 24
Misbah-ul-Haq batting 54
Faisal Iqbal c Gambhir b Sharma 22
Kamran Akmal batting 32
Extras: (byes 31, leg byes 25, no balls 14) 70
Total: (for five wickets in 117 overs) 369
Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Hameed, 16.3 overs), 2-149 (Butt, 46.2), 3-221 (Younis, 69.1), 4-227 (Yousuf, 70.6), 5-288 (Iqbal, 96.1)
Bowling:
Irfan Pathan 28 11 61 1
Ishant Sharma 23 7 88 1 (8nb)
Anil Kumble 28 8 71 1
Sourav Ganguly 10 2 20 1 (1nb)
Harbhajan Singh 23 6 66 1
Yuvraj Singh 5 2 7 0 (1nb)
Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Rudi Koertzen (South Africa)
Third umpire: G.A. Pratapkumar (India)
Fourth umpire: Suhas Phadkar (India)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)