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Pak stamp authority on day two
After bowling out India seven runs short its total, Pakistan replied with superb batting performance.
Riding on two superb half-centuries by the openers - Salman Butt and Imran Farhat - Pakistan stamped their authority on the second day of the third Test in Karachi.
The hosts finished the day at 173 with a loss of just 2 wickets, after the bowlers had broken Indian batting's backbone, bowling the latter out 7 runs short of its total.
Pathan (40) and Yuvraj (45) provided stiff resistance in their brief stint out in the middle, but could not could not capitalize on the start.
'Rawalpindi Express' softened the batters with his short-pitched thunderbolts while Mohammed Asif effected the breakthroughs, scalping four crucial wickets.
Indian bowlers, on the other hand, toiled hard and unlike the volatile nature of the Pakistani batting witnessed in the first innings, the hosts easily negotiated the deliveries.
Farhat (57, 10 fours) and Butt (53, 10 fours) looked in cracking form, ripping apart the bowlers with utter non-chalance. The duo put on a massive 109-run stand, clocking more than 4 runs per over!
Final Session:
Pakistan was off to a rollicking start with openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt providing stiff resistance to the Indian pace attack on the second day of the third Test in Karachi.
Fours rained from their blade as Zaheer Khan and 'hat-trick hero' Irfan Pathan erred in line, bowling too outside off stump.
Rahul Dravid seeing the incessant flow of runs, went on the defensive. His moves, however, did not affect any dismissal. The duo with their ballistic ability pounced on anything that came their way and soon put on a 100-run partnership - the second of the Test.
Change-up bowler, Sourav Ganguly got India the vital breakthrough and removed Salman Butt (53), but not before the opener had smashed a brisk half-century.
Farhat, at the other end, too reached his fifty, but followed his partner to the pavillion for 57.
At stumps, Younis and Yousuf had put their head down and prevented any further damage.
Post Lunch Session:
Irfan Pathan (40) and Zaheer Khan (21) put on a 56-run stand to salvage some pride, but could not prevent Pakistan to take a seven-run lead over India in the post-lunch session.
Resuming play after lunch, fired up Shoaib Akhtar knocked over Anil Kumble for 7 runs, with a full, fast inswinger. Pathan, at the other end, assumed responsibility of carrying the Indian innings forward.
After being fluffed twice by the fielders, Irfan played delectable shots on the on and the off-side to scatter the field.
Shoaib adopted a probing line, trying to the scare the wits out of the batsman, but Pathan replied beautifully with a six over square-leg.
Zaheer seeing his partner exude confidence, too got into the act, punishing even good balls through the cover region.
The two fast bowlers' partnership flourished and with continous flow of runs, soon put on a 50-run stand.
However six runs later, well-set Irfan commited hara-kiri trying to heave a big six over an already open field. Mohammed Yousuf pouched the catch safely at long-on fence.
With his partner gone, Zaheer (21) lost heart and just two balls later, knicked Asif's rising delivery straight to the wicketkeeper.
India finished at 238, conceding a 7-run lead to Pakistan.
Morning Session:
Pakistan dealt a killer blow to India in the first session, scalping 3 wickets in quick succession, just before lunch.
Sourav Ganguly (34), Yuvraj Singh (45) and MS Dhoni (13) departed one after the another, after Sourav-Yuvraj combine threatened to thwart the Pak pacers for the whole session.
At the start, India was off to a flyer, with Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh delivering counterpunches to the fired up Pakistani pacers. The former skipper in particular looked in supreme focus, swaying away from the good balls but never missing an inch on bad deliveries. His off drives and square cuts were noticeably crisply timed.
Pakistan skipper Younis Khan starting off with Akthar and Asif, could not graft out any of the batsmen.
Shoaib spitted fire from his end, intimidating the batting duo with awkward bouncers at over 150 kmph. But inconsistency in line and length costed him a lot of runs, without any wickets.
Abdul Razzaq replaced Akthar and struck soon enough. Ganguly (34) looking impressive till that time, was out again on a short ball, hooking straight into fine leg fielder's hands.
After former skipper's departure, wickets fell in a flurry as Pakistan regained their position of authority. Yuvraj, nearing his half ton, fell first, walking back to the pavilion for 45. Batting power house, MS Dhoni (13) followed soon after, ending his brief, miserable stint at the crease.
At lunch, India were seven down for 169, with both Irfan Pathan and Anil Kumble at 2 runs each.
