KARACHI, 2 February 2006 — Pakistan yesterday outclassed India, winning the third and final Test by a big margin of 341 runs with more than a day’s play to spare here on the fourth day of the Test. They also won the three-match series 1-0, the first two Tests — at Faisalabad and Lahore — having ended in draw.
The stars of Pakistan’s convincing victory were the unassuming all-rounder, Abdul Razzaq and young fast bowler Mohammed Asif, who virtually demolished the star-studded Indian batting, sharing seven wickets between them. Razzaq’s 4-88 included the prized scalp of Saurav Ganguly (37). Asif dismissed Sachin Tendulkar (26) Virender Sehwag (4) and VVS Laxman (21), returning enviable figures of 3 for 48 from 12 overs.
Earlier in the morning Razzaq and Faisal Iqbal added 88 crucial runs in one hour before Pakistan declared at 599 for seven. The Indian batting which went deep to number 8 collapsed without putting up any fight in just about four hours of play on the fourth day. The end came as an anti-climax after a keen contest in the first innings when the visitors had restricted Pakistan to 245 and then made 238 in what at that stage promised to be a keen contest.
But at the crucial stage the Indian batting wilted under the pressure of chasing a massing 606-run target, batting last. No team has ever successfully chased over 600 runs, the best is West Indies scoring 418 for seven to beat Australia in 2003.
Yuvraj Singh fought a lone battle for his side, making 122 with the help of 19 boundaries and one six. Coming when India were struggling at 74, Singh prevented what looked like a complete rout, adding 103 runs for the fifth wicket with Ganguly. After Ganguly’s departure he helplessly watched the collapse, being last out, caught behind off Razzaq.
The home team struck two telling blows within the first two overs of India’s second innings. Shoaib Akhtar, apparently unaffected by Indian coach Greig Chappel’s criticism of his bowling action, removed skipper Rahul Dravid in the first over. Asif, in the next over, uprooted Sehwag’s stumps by a delivery which could be described as the best of the match.
Laxman and Tendulkar put on 55 for the third but Asif stepped in to stop both batsmen in their tracks. Laxman (21) was clean bowled by a delivery similar to that which had removed Sehwag and then Tendulkar’s off-stump was shattered by one that kept low. Tendulkar hit five boundaries in his 26. With his dismissal India slumped to 74-4 and the result was very much obvious. Ganguly, struggling to retain his place in the team, had made 37 when he was trapped leg-before by Razzaq off his first ball after tea. Razzaq then had Mahendra Dhoni(18) and Irfan Pathan (four) edging catches to the slip region as India crumbled to 216-7.
Earlier, Pakistan, resuming at 511 for five, batted an hour before declaring at 599 for seven. Iqbal moved from 103 to 139 before holing out in the deep off Zaheer Khan, adding 196 runs for the sixth-wicket with Razzaq. Razzaq hit 90, making Pakistan the first team in Test cricket in which all the top seven batsmen scored over 50 runs in one innings.
