By Rajesh Kumar, IANS
Kolkata : Kamran Akmal while scoring his fifth Test century and fourth against India set a whole lot of new records on the third day of second Test at the Eden Gardens here Sunday.
Akmal (119) registered his fifth Test hundred – his fourth against India. His five Test centuries are:
Akmal’s earlier four centuries were 109 against India at Mohali in 2004-05, 102 not out against India at Lahore in 2005-06 and 113 against India at Karachi in 2005-06 and his highest is 154 at Lahore against England in 2005-06.
Akmal’s innings is now the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper at Eden Gardens, eclipsing Clyde Walcott’s 108 for West Indies in 1948-49.
Akmal and Walcott are the only two wicketkeepers with hundreds at this venue. He also established a record for most centuries (5) by a Pakistani wicketkeeper, obliterating Moin Khan’s tally of four.
The other statistical highlights of the third day were as follows:
*** Akmal’s four centuries in 10 Tests is a record by a wicketkeeper against India, eclipsing Zimbabwean Andy Flower’s feat of three in 9 Tests.
*** Misbah-ul-Haq (108 not out) posted his career-best score, his maiden Test century – his 26th in first-class cricket. Misbah’s previous highest score was 82 against India in the Delhi Test last month.
*** The 207-run stand between Haq & Akmal equalled the sixth wicket record for Pakistan against India. Salim Malik and Imran Khan had put on 207 at Faisalabad in 1982-83.
*** The aforesaid partnership is a record by any pair for the sixth wicket at Eden Gardens, bettering the 195 between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels for West Indies against India in 2002-03.
*** The aforesaid stand is the tenth 200-plus by a pair for any wicket-position at Eden Gardens.
*** Mohammad Yousuf, in his last five innings against India in India has made 22 at Kolkata and 37 at Bangalore in 2004-05; 27 & 18 at Delhi and 6 at Kolkata on December 2, 2007.
*** Faisal Iqbal registered his fourth duck in Test cricket – all four away from home – his previous three being two against England at Lord’s and Leeds in 2006 and one against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2001.