India On Brink Of History

[pies4ever]

India on brink of history
From correspondents in Multan
April 1, 2004

LEG-spinner Anil Kumble grabbed 6-71 to leave India on the verge of a maiden Test victory in Pakistan following a dramatic fourth day's play today.

Pakistan, forced to follow-on 268 runs behind after being dismissed for 407 in their first innings, were reduced to 9-207 by stumps in their second knock despite an unbeaten 107 from Yousuf Youhana.

The tourists will return on the final day poised to complete an unprecedented win after their previous 20 Tests on Pakistani soil ended in five defeats and 15 draws.

India claimed 13 wickets on the fourth day, and that after just 11 had fallen on the first three on the barren wicket criticised as being too batsmen-friendly.

The match would have already ended but for Youhana's gallant century and his 70-run stand for the ninth wicket with Shoaib Akhtar after Pakistan had been reduced to 8-136.

Akhtar defended stoutly for an hour to make four before he became Kumble's sixth victim during the extra 30 minutes claimed by the Indians to force a result by stumps.

Kumble, who took all 10 Pakistani wickets in an innings in New Delhi in 1999, returned with his 24th five-wicket haul to take his overall tally to 390 from 82 matches.

"It will be a great achievement to win a Test in Pakistan," said the 33-year-old Kumble.

"We back ourselves to win in any conditions. It remains a placid track but whatever we have achieved so far in this match is due to the total of 675 we put up in the first innings.

"I have done well against Pakistan in the past and came here with the confidence that I could do it again.

"I don't think I have to prove anything to anyone. A lot has been said about my bowling, that I don't turn the ball. But I am happy I have achieved something that will contribute to the team's win."

Left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan followed a career-best 4-100 in the first innings with 1-22 in the second.

The Indians overcame the temporary loss of strike bowler Zaheer Khan due to a leg injury to shatter the Pakistani batting.

Pakistan, who began the day at 6-364 in their first innings in reply to India's massive 5(dec)-675, lost their last four wickets for 43 runs to be bowled out for 407 just after the first drinks break.

Only a last-wicket stand of 36 between Mohammad Sami (15) and Shabbir Ahmed (19no) stretched the innings even that far.

The day could hardly have started worse for Pakistan, as Pathan removed Abdul Razzaq with the first delivery of the morning, a rising ball that found the edge to wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel.

When Pakistan batted a second time, they collapsed to 3-44 after skipper Inzamam-ul Haq was run out without scoring.

Inzamam, the victim of a doubtful decision in the first innings after making 77, walked in to loud applause from some 5000 fans on his home ground - only to return shortly afterwards.

He responded to a call from Yasir Hameed for a sharp single, but failed to make the striker's end as Yuvraj swooped on the ball at mid-wicket and threw down the stumps with a direct hit.

Yuvraj piled on the misery with his left-arm spin, claiming his first Test wicket as Hameed's pull shot was deflected off the close-in fielder's body to Virender Sehwag at fine-leg.

Soon after tea, Kumble removed Abdul Razzaq for 22, superbly caught at short-leg by Akash Chopra as Pakistan slipped to 5-106.

Moin Khan was trapped leg-before by Pathan, before Kumble dismissed both Mohammad Sami and Saqlain Mushtaq in similar fashion.

But Youhana, who hit 15 boundaries and two sixes in his 11th Test hundred, at least delayed the inevitable until today.

Scoreboard
INDIA FIRST INNINGS 5(dec)-675
PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS (overnight 6-64)
IMRAN FARHAT lbw b Balaji 38
TAUFIQ UMER c Dravid b Pathan 23
YASIR HAMEED c Patel b Pathan 91
INZAMAM-UL HAQ c Chopra b Kumble 77
YOUSUF YOUHANA c Patel b Zaheer 35
ABDUL RAZZAQ c Patel b Pathan 47
MOIN KHAN b Tendulkar 17
SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ c Zaheer b Pathan 5
MOHAMMAD SAMI b Kumble 15
SHOAIB AKHTAR c and b Tendulkar 0
SHABBIR AHMED not out 19
Sundries (4b, 26lb, 10nb) 40
Total 407
Fall: 58, 73, 233, 243, 321, 364, 364, 371, 371, 407.
Bowling: Zaheer 23-6-76-1, Pathan 28-4-100-4, Kumble 39.3-12-100-2, Balaji 20-4-54-1, Sehwag 2-0-11-0, Tendulkar 14-1-36-2
Overs: 126.3
PAKISTAN SECOND INNINGS
IMRAN FARHAT c Patel b Kumble 24
TAUFIQ UMER lbw b Kumble 9
YASIR HAMEED c Sehwag b Yuvraj 23
INZAMAM-UL HAQ run out 0
YOUSUF YOUHANA not out 107
ABDUL RAZZAQ c Chopra b Kumble 22
MOIN KHAN lbw b Pathan 5
MOHAMMAD SAMI lbw b Kumble 0
SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ lbw b Kumble 0
SHOAIB AKHTAR c Laxman b Kumble 4
SHABBIR AHMED not out 0
Sundries (5lb,2nb, 1w, 5pen runs) 13
Total (for 9 wkts) 207
Fall: 33, 44, 44, 75, 106, 113, 124, 136, 206.
Bowling: Pathan 20-12-22-1, Balaji 11-3-48-0, Kumble 29-10-71-6, Sehwag 3-0-8-0, Yuvraj 6-1-25-1, Tendulkar 6-2-23-0
Overs: 75
Stumps day four
Toss: India
Umpires: David Shepherd (ENG), Simon Taufel (AUS)



cheers bryan..!!