Related Links : Pakistan’s Tour of India : Scorecard
The first Test Match of the Indo-Pak Series is turning out to be one of the most memorable ones in the history of the game. There have been plenty of twists and turns to the tale that it has become quite unpredictable the winner after three days of intense cricket. Just when Pakistan were seeming to turn the tables, a persistent Indian spin attack turned the match with a few vital breaks in the last session of the third day’s play. Pakistan are now leading by 167 runs with five second innings’ wickets standing. The pitch at the Kotla now seems to be playing good for batsmen should they prepare themselves to stay longer at the crease.
In the morning session, India looking for a handy first innings lead couldn’t achieve that although the overnight pair of Laxman and Kumble looked solid. The pair got past their fifty-run partnership leaving Pak in lot of trouble. However, a magic delivery from Danish Kaneria which had big spin and bounce found the edge from an Anil Kumble prod that was safely pouched in the slips. That ended a gritty stay of 69 balls at the wicket for the Indian Captain Anil Kumble who made a decent 24 with 3 fours. But after Kumble’s fall, the rest of the lower order batsmen just didn’t show the same determination as their Captain to stay with VVS Laxman. The remaining wickets fell with the addition of only 14 runs in just over four overs with India collapsing to 276 in 78.4 overs. First it was Harbhajan Singh who was bowled round his legs by Sohail Tanvir, then an attacking Zaheer brilliantly caught at mid off by Shoaib Akhtar off Kaneria. Zaheer was trying to slog to get some important runs, he got a six and then whacked a flat hit which was held by Shoaib. In the next delivery, Munaf Patel played a desperate sweep which he couldn’t connect to be given out lbw to bring an end to the innings. VVS got stranded with an unbeaten 72 (from 135 balls with 8 fours).
Danish Kaneria did the damage taking three out of the last four wickets to fall. He seems to be finding lot of purchase from the track then Anil Kumble to be the most important bowler of this match. Kaneria’s figures were 4 for 59 in 21.4 overs while debutant Sohail Tanvir, who was complemented for being unplayable by VVS Laxman got a nice 3 for 83 in 24 overs. The young Pakistani openers Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed looked extremely comfortable against the Indian new ball attack and by lunch their side was without any loss. In the post lunch session, Pakistan eased past the slender deficit of 45 with its two openers still there. It was Anil Kumble giving the much needed relief for the Indians by getting an inside edge onto the pads off Yasir Hameed (36 from 79 with 5 fours). The finishing touch was given by VVS Laxman at silly point, an amazingly difficult catch made to look simple with Laxman reacting in a flash to take a low catch towards his right. That was the only wicket that India could get in the second session with Younus Khan combining well with Salman Butt to take their side to 108 for 1 in 35 overs.
After Tea, India bounced back through its Captain as they got Younus Khan out twice. The first instance was when he played a sweep onto its pads which was taken at short leg which wasn’t given out. The very next ball, Younus (23 from 40 with 4 fours) was trapped infront of the offstump by an Anil Kumble skidder which was given out lbw. Salman Butt was still going strong at one end with some nice shots. One ‘Y’ was gone but there was still another ‘Y’ left in Mohammad Yousuf. The prolific Mohammad Yousuf had a shaky start against Kumble but soon got himself into good touch. Just when things seemed to be drifting away from the homeside, Kumble brought in Harbhajan who was hardly used. With the first ball of a new spell, Harbhajan foxed Yousuf (18 from 21) in the air to induce him in a false drive which ended up as a return catch to the bowler. It was the wonderful loop that got the ball to appear as a half volley but dipped down infront of the batsman that did the trick. India were right back in it with Pak at 149 for 3.
India got on top of Pakistan soon with Anil Kumble getting Salman Butt to drive his googly into the safe hands of Dravid at slip. Kumble got his googly to pitch into the footmarks from round the sticks creating an angle for the left hander to play at that to find the edge. Butt made 67 from 140 balls with as many as 11 fours. Now it was turn of Harbhajan Singh to strike and he had the Pakistani Captain Shoaib Malik playing an attempted backfoot drive back onto his stumps to leave the visitors at 161 for 5. Malik survived from a pair but all he contribute for his team in this match was 11 runs! Misbah-ul-Haq, who had to come in at the fall of the fifth wicket because of sitting out due to flu during the Indian innings was a lucky man. He got an inside edge off Kumble that was put down at short leg by Wasim Jaffer which was a sitter of a catch. Misbah cashed on that break to smash a couple of sixes off Harbhajan to try and counter attack. He got the support from a patient Kamran Akmal and both these batsmen took their side at the loss of those five wickets at the close of play. Once again at around 4:30, bad light halted the proceedings. Pakistan are at 212 for 5 in 65.5 overs with Kamran Akmal on 21 (from 53 balls) and Misbah-ul-Haq on 29 (from 34 balls).