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Pak save Lahore Test through Younis Khan century

Related Links : South Africa in Pakistan 2007/08 : Scorecard

A fluent century from Younis Khan and a stubborn unbeaten half century from Mohammad Yousuf was enough for Pakistan to save the Lahore Test. Pakistan were of course not capable of drawing level the 2-Test Series as SA had put up a stiff target of nearly 450. This match brought the curtains down on the International Career of Inzamam-ul-Haq who missed out on his record of being Pakistan’s highest run getter in Test Cricket.

South Africa fell by a good six wickets short of forcing a win on the final day. The first hour of the day was nicely seen through by the overnight pair of Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan. SA could only get the wicket of Kamran Akmal in the first session which was an extended one being a Friday. Younis Khan got his century by lunch and in the company of Mohammad Yousuf continued to raise Pakistan’s hopes of an unlikely victory. In the 90th over of the innings, Younis Khan finally lost his patience as he slashed at an away going delivery from Kallis. Younis got 130 from 246 balls with 16 fours.

After Younis Khan’s dismisssal, Inzamam walked in much to the delight of many people as he was just six runs short of a huge record in his last hit in the middle for Pakistan. Big Inzy knocked off three runs in the first ball he had faced off Kallis. His next delivery was from the left arm spinner Paul Harris and that was a shocking event. Inzy just stepped out of his crease aiming to hit Harris out of the ground without any respect and he only got beaten all ends up by a delivery that spun away to get Mark Boucher to do the rest. Inzy flirted with danger with his rash decision but that would not take away anything from the great achievements that he has achieved for his country in more than a decade. Things were back to normal when the new Pakistan Captain Shoaib Malik joined Mohammad Yousuf. SA decided to go for one last option which was to try its luck with the second new ball but Malik with Yousuf survived that comfortably and soon the match was called to an end with SA not finding much time in taking the remaining wickets. Pakistan finished at 316 for 4 having survived 107 overs. Yousuf got 63 from 156 balls while Malik got 20 from 57. The Man of the Series and also the Player of the Series had to go to only one person and that was Jacques Kallis.