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November 30, 2006 (Link to Scorecard)

Mohammad Yousuf had created history on the fourth day of the Karachi Test which is going Pakistan's way. A record set by Vivian Richards way back in the year 1976 has been broken by the 32-year-old Yousuf. Vivian Richards had held the record for the most number of test runs in a calendar year until November 30 of 2006.

Mohammad Yousuf who needed 48 runs in this innings to amass that Sir Viv Richards' feat (1710 runs in a calendar year) went onto score his ninth century of the year! With a century also coming from opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez, the homeside were in a position to declare at a strong 399 for 6 in their second essay leaving a daunting target of 444 runs for the tourists. West Indies are already in the dumps at 39 losing its two openers - Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga. It all depends on whether Brian Lara can play a marathon in what could be his last Test innings in this land or not. There is enough potential in the batting left for his side and all it would require is some application. Bad light could well rescue them towards the end but they need to get to that distance.

Well yesterday's play saw Mohammad Hafeez giving Pakistan the strong base and today it was consolidation along with his overnight partner, the prolific Mohammad Yousuf. More than 40 overs were bowled before Windies bowlers finally got their first wicket of the day. It wasn't before Hafeez reached a hard earned second Test century after lunch. Like always it was the emerging fast bowling talent Jerome Taylor who had got the wicket with Hafeez departing after scoring 104 with 10 fours in 266 balls. There was no stopping as far as Yousuf is concerned, the Viv Richards record was just a part of his innings as he continued to get his second century of the Test Match. He finally fell after getting to 124 getting out to the leg spin from Ramnaresh Sarwan. Skipper Inzamam finally got some runs, in fact got to a well composed 58 and he declared the innings in the 124th over. Pak had lost two more wickets that of Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq in the course of the declaration.

Chasing 444, West Indies got off to the worst ever start, losing Chris Gayle in the second delivery of the innings. Gayle had played onto his stumps while trying to play a drive off Umar Gul. In the fourth over, Shahid Nazir got the wicket of Daren Ganga who had done exceedingly well in the first innings in killing out considerable amount of time. Ganga was trapped leg before the wicket by a sharp inswinger from the medium pacer. Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan battled it out before bad light put an end to the proceedings ending the proceedings abruptly in the 10th over.

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