By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Kolkata : Riding on defiant centuries from Kamran Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan fought back gallantly on the third day of the second Test against India here Sunday.
Replying to India’s mammoth 616 for five wickets declared, Pakistan were 358 for six and they still need 59 runs to avoid follow-on.
Akmal scored a fighting 119 (259 minutes, 210 balls, 20x4s) and was aptly supported by Misbah, who hit his maiden century. He was batting on 108 (323 minutes, 204 balls, 10x4s) with Mohammed Sami (0) at stumps.
If Pakistan can avoid the follow-on Monday, the match could well head for a draw after all the excitement of India’s heavy scoring on the first two days.
Akmal finally overcame his lean patch with his first century in 15 Tests and Misbah silenced his critics who pointed to his 30s-40s. The duo made up for the bowlers’ shortcomings and put on a record 207 for the sixth wicket.
The Indian bowlers suddenly looked ineffective on an Eden Gardens pitch that was expected to assist spinners. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the most successful bowler with three wickets while captain Anil Kumble took two.
Pakistan resumed 50 for one, with Salman Butt batting on 26 and stand-in captain Younis Khan on three. Butt started the day with a boundary off the very first ball of the day, off left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan.
Butt (42) departed trying to drive Harbhajan through the off side but edged to Rahul Dravid at slip.
Younis went on to score 43 (122 minutes, 82 balls, 5x4s, 1×6). But he was guilty of playing too many reverse sweep shots when his team expected him to stay at the crease. Pacer Munaf Patel finally ended Younis’ knock when he again walked down the pitch to smash the ball but succeeded in only gave a catch to wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Mohammed Yousuf managed just six while Faisal Iqbal failed to open his account and left Pakistan in a precarious position. Then Misbah and Akmal joined hands to frustrate the bowlers.
India could have changed the course of the Pakistan innings, if only Sachin Tendulkar had held on to the chance Misbah offered off Kumble’s bowling when he was on 22 with Pakistan still struggling at 138 for four.
It was a difficult chance though as Tendulkar stretched to his right but failed to grasp the ball at mid-wicket.
Akmal reached the fourth century of his career with square cut off Munaf Patel and immediately kneeled down on the turf in gratitude to the Almighty. He batted for 197 minutes facing 173 balls for his fifth century, four of which have come against India.
Eight overs after Akmal completed his ton, Misbah emulated him as he turned a Kumble delivery to square leg for a boundary. Playing in his ninth Test, Misbah faced 181 balls in 298 minutes for his maiden century. He improved upon his previous best 82 made in Delhi last week.
The Akmal-Misbah stand of 207 runs for the sixth wicket erased numerous records.
SCOREBOARD
Day Three, Second Test, India-Pakistan, Eden Gardens, Kolkata
India (1st innings): 616/5 decl.
Pakistan (1st innings, overnight 50/1):
Salman Butt c Dravid b Harbhajan 42
Yasir Hameed lbw b Kumble 21
Younis Khan c Dhoni b Patel 43
Mohammad Yousuf b Harbhajan 6
Misbah-ul-Haq batting 108
Faisal Iqbal lbw b Kumble 0
Kamran Akmal b Harbhajan 119
Mohammed Sami batting 0
Extras: (byes 4, leg byes 7, wide 1, no balls 7) 19
Total: (for six wickets in 104 overs) 358
Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Hameed, 7.5 overs), 2-77 (Butt, 25.3), 3-85 (Yousuf, 27.5), 4-134 (Younis, 37.1), 5-150 (Faisal, 40.2), 6-357 (Akmal, 102.3)
Bowling:
Zaheer Khan 20.2 4 65 0 (5nb)
Munaf Patel 16 4 77 1 (1w)
Harbhajan Singh 31.4 8 86 3 (1nb)
Anil Kumble 27 6 81 2 (1nb)
Sachin Tendulkar 7 1 32 0
Sourav Ganguly 2 1 6 0
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Billy Doctrove (West Indies)
Third umpire: Amiesh Saheba (India)
Fourth umpire: K.G. Laxminarayan (India)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)