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Pakistan in India 2004-05: Pakistan Vs India -
1st Test at Mohali - Day 4 |
Report by Karthik Narayan
March 11th 2005:
Pakistan 312
& 257/6
(Inzamam
86 Youhana 68, Balaji 3/67)
lead
India 516 (Sehwag 173 Tendulkar 94, Kaneria 6/150) by
53 runs
Full Scorecard
Play resumed half an hour
early on day four with India on 447/6. Pathan in
the quest for acceleration lost his wicket to
Kaneria, the pick of the Pakistani bowlers –
India lost their seventh wicket at 465. It was
evident that the Indians lost their cool, when
the Pakistan bowlers stemmed the run flow.
Thanks to Balaji’s fireworks display, India
reached 500 in no time. Kaneria bowled
beautifully with loop and guile to pick up the
wickets of Pathan, Balaji and Laxman with great
deliveries. Zaheer Khan took a gamble against
Kaneria and found himself walking back. India
was bowled out for 516 an hour before lunch -
204 runs ahead of Pakistan. The Pakistani
bowlers had put up a good performance on day 3
and 4, restricting the Indian scoring and
picking up wickets at regular intervals. Kaneria
bagged 6 wickets with a fabulous performance,
his first 5 wicket haul against the Indians, and
this was also the first time that a Pakistani
leg-spinner took a 5-wicket haul against India.
Pakistan started their second innings in the
worst possible manner – Balaji’s success in the
first innings saw him take the new ball with
Irfan Pathan. And he started immediately from
where he left off in the first innings. He swung
the ball prodigiously and got a lot of help from
the wicket. He struck first capturing the wicket
of Taufiq Umar, who offered him a simple caught
and bowled. Then horror of horrors for Younis
Khan when he failed to read the line of an
inswinger and saw his off stump knocked over!
Balaji again doing the damage – he must be
loving this Pakistan team – his success against
them has been unique!
Irfan Pathan rubbed more salt into Pakistan’s
wounds when he picked up Salman Butt, surprising
him with a short ball, which was poorly read.
When Butt tried to duck it, it caught the back
of the bat and a simple pouch for Dinesh Karthik.
At 31/3, Pakistan was in a spot of bother.
Inzamam and Youhana brought all their experience
into play and not being over awed by the
situation, played their natural game. Balaji
after 2 wickets, went for runs aplenty, and by
the 10th over, Ganguly was forced to introduce
Kumble into the attack.
Inzamam and Youhana recouped the innings with a
good partnership. But Inzamam after a fantastic
knock of 86, once again fell to Anil Kumble.
Anil Kumble has dismissed Inzamam so many times
now that Inzy may very well be called BUNNY! An
incoming delivery from just outside off stump,
Inzamam played the wrong line and voila! Plumb
in front, caught napping was the Sultan from
Multan! India got that all-important
breakthrough just before tea.
The newcomer Asim Kamal got a couple of lives
when on 0 and 2. He promptly celebrated it soon
after by hitting four consecutive fours off the
bowling off Kumble, immediately after tea in the
44th over of Pakistan’s second innings, which
was something special. But Kumble rocked
Pakistan again with the vital wicket of Youhana
when he had 68 to his name. Asim Kamal played
some splendid shots all around the off stump.
When Balaji was brought back into the attack in
the 70th over, he caught Asim Kamal plumb in
front of the wicket – for his third wicket of
the innings and 8th of the match. This was
exactly what the doctor ordered for India at
this stage. Akmal and Razzaq managed to stay
till the end of the day.
Day four was very exciting – and with
Pakistan having just a slender lead of 54, India
has a huge advantage over Pakistan in the test
match. After a couple of see-saws in this
exciting test, India has got a firm grip and Day
5 will be quite interesting to see where this
match goes.
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