KARACHI, 1 February 2006 — Pakistan took a commanding lead of 518 runs for the loss of five wickets against India at the close of the third day’s play in the final Test here yesterday.
With two days of the Test remaining, India will have to put in a world record-breaking performance to win the match and the series when they resume the chase later today. The world record of successfully chasing the highest total by a team batting last was made by West Indies in Antigua in 2003 when they scored 418and beat Australia by three wickets.
India, with a strong batting line-up which has batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag, however face a tough task and will have to put in more than extra effort to create a new record. It is going to be an unenviable task even though the National Stadium wicket appears to have eased out from the seaming track that produced 14 wickets on the first day and eight on the second.
The wicket is expected to take more turn on the last two days. It will be then that leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who had almost nothing to do in the first innings, will be expected to play a vital role. Anil Kumble’s two wickets in the post-lunch session yesterday give strength to this argument. The Indians can however seek inspiration from their hosts whose first six batsmen scored half-centuries and Faisal Iqbal a hundred.
Young Iqbal led Pakistan’s blazing second innings knock with his maiden Test century completed in the last over of the third day’s play. Others who contributed in putting Pakistan in commanding position were Mohammed Yousuf (97) skipper Younis Khan (77) and Shahid Afridi who played a breezy knock of 60 from 46 balls.
Iqbal, nephew of cricket great Javed Miandad, who returned to Test cricket after three years in wilderness, made up for his cheap dismissal in the first innings with an unbeaten 103 that included 12 boundaries. Abdul Razzaq was the other batsman at the crease on 44, having added 109 runs so far for the unbroken sixth wicket when play ended.
The Indian seam attack wilted under the assault from Afridi and Razzaq with Irfan Pathan going for 1-93, Zaheer Khan 0-93 and Rudra Pratap Singh 1-91. Kumble was the most successful bowler with 2 for 136.
Smith Leads S. Africa to Victory Over Sri Lanka
Reuters adds from Sydney: South Africa skipper Graeme Smith ended his prolonged slump in form with a strong all-round performance to lead his team to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a One-Day International at the WACA in Perth yesterday. Smith took career-best figures of three wickets for 30 runs as Sri Lanka collapsed to be all out for 222 then made 41 to lay the foundations for a comfortable South African victory. Sanath Jayasuriya top-scored for Sri Lanka with a brilliant 86 from only 65 balls but did not get enough support from the lower order. South Africa cruised to the victory target with 4.5 overs to spare.
