Faisalabad: India won the battle for the first innings lead on the fourth day of the second Test at the Iqbal Stadium yesterday but only just.
Pakistan, trailing by 15 runs, got off to another flying start in the second innings to register 152 for one. Younis Khan, unbeaten on 64 (102b,11x4) and Kamran Akmal, unconquered on 59 (122b, 10x4), will take the stage on the final day today.
The track showed no signs of wear and tear despite being a fourth day wicket. What remains to be seen is whether Pakistan, after piling up a huge lead, will declare and attempt to enforce a victory.
With only 21 wickets having fallen in the last four days, it seems improbable that 10 Indian wickets will fall on the last day. By that logic, this Test looks to be heading for a draw.
Commencing from their overnight score of 441 for 5, India took a psychologically boosting 15-run lead with Dhoni continuing to bat with ease.
Irfan Pathan reached his 50 (98b, 5x4, 1x6) off the second ball of the day, slashing Danish Kaneria to the third man boundary.
The battle between Dhoni and Shoaib Akhtar continued. Off Akhtar's third over of the day, Dhoni hit four boundaries. The first one was straight driven with perfection, the second went over the slips, and the third was pulled to mid wicket. Furious at this, Akhtar bowled a beamer that was promptly dispatched to the boundary by Dhoni.
By then, Akhtar's confidence was so low that at times Dhoni merely tapped the ball to the boundary. The pair recorded their 200-run partnership in 255 balls and looked set for more. But with the score on 491, Dhoni was brilliantly stumped off Kaneria for 148 (152b, 19x4, 4x6).
The task of guiding India now fell on Pathan and he picked the gaps and kept the scoreboard moving along with Anil Kumble.
Razzaq trapped Pathan leg before for 90 (171b, 9x4, 2x6) when India still needed 50 runs to take the lead.
Kaneria quickly dismissed Kumble for 15 with wicketkeeper Akmal exhibiting another brilliant stumping.
With 36 runs needed for the lead, Harbhajan Singh took up the challenge first by lifting Afridi to mid wicket for a six and in the next over by dispatching Kaneria over long on for maximum.
With India needing two more for the lead, Afridi trapped Harbhajan leg before for 38 (48b, 5x4, 2x6). Not to give up easily, Zaheer Khan ensured India took the lead by smashing a six off Afridi to bring in India's 600.
The curtains came down on the Indian innings when Afridi had R.P. Singh caught and bowled. Khan remained unbeaten on 20.
With Shoaib Malek having rushed to meet his ailing father, Akmal opened the innings with Salman Butt. Irfan Pathan bowled a good length and could have got Butt's wicket had Laxman not dropped him at second slip on two.
Butt then went on to play some attractive drives. The opening pair put on 52 runs when Butt played uppishly into the hands of Tendulkar at mid wicket off Kumble for 24. He had already hit five sparkling boundaries in his 20.
Younis Khan once again walked in to torment the Indian attack and he was as comfortable as ever picking the gaps beautifully.
Khan reached his 50 off 73 balls with 10 boundaries. Akmal also got his half century (113b, 9x4).
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan (1st innings) 588
India (1st innings)
(Overnight 441-5):
M. Dhoni st Akmal b Kaneria 148
Irfan Pathan lbw b Razzaq 90
A. Kumble st Akmal b Kaneria 15
H. Singh lbw b Afridi 38
Zaheer Khan not out 20
R. Singh c and b Afridi 6
Extras: (b3, lb15, w3, nb23) 44
Total 603
Fall of wickets: 6-491, 7-529, 8-553, 9-587
Bowling: Akhtar 25-7-100-1, Asif 34-6-103-1, Razzaq 28-1-126-2, Kaneria 54-6-165-3, Afridi 24.4-0-91-2
Pakistan (2nd innings)
Salman Butt c Tendulkar b Kumble 24
Kamran Akmal not out 59
Younis Khan not out 64
Extras: (lb2, nb3) 5
Total (for one wicket) 152
Fall of wicket: 1-52
Bowling: Pathan 9-1-27-0, R. Singh 6-1-33-0, Kumble 12-2-56-1, Zaheer 7-3-12-0, Harbhajan 8-2-16-0, Yuvraj 1-0-6-0.
