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Kumble inspires India to victory

Anil Kumble took 7-63 as India wrapped up victory in the second Test against Pakistan by 195 runs in Calcutta.

The leg-spinner finished with match figures of 10-161 in Pakistan's first ever defeat at Eden Gardens.

Kumble removed Younis Khan with the first ball of the final day and bowled skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq before Taufeeq Umar edged Laxmipathy Balaji to slip.

Kumble and Harbhajan Singh (2-51) then ran through the middle and lower order to put India 1-0 up with one Test left.

The day had begun with Pakistan on 95-1 and all three outcomes still possible, mainly thanks to Shahid Afridi's onslaught on the fourth evening.

His dismissal by Kumble just before the close was a boost for India and on the final morning it got better when Younis lost balance while trying to flick a delivery to the onside and was stumped by Dinesh Karthik off the same bowler.

Inzamam followed when a sharp delivery from the spinner went off bat and pad and hit the off-stump.

Taufeeq perished in the next over from Balaji when he chased an outswinger and was caught by Virender Sehwag at second slip.

Suddenly, from having an outside chance of victory, Pakistan were facing a desperate battle for survival having lost three wickets for 20 runs in 40 minutes.

Yousuf Youhana, who survived a confident leg-before shout against Kumble on 16, steadied the ship with Asim Kamal by digging in before lunch.

But Kumble ended their 63-run partnership and plunged Pakistan deeper into the mire with a double-blow soon after the interval to claim his 29th five-wicket haul in Tests.

Youhana was caught at short-leg off bat and pad, and worse was to follow as Abdul Razzaq was beaten by the bounce and got an inside edge before the ball cannoned into the stumps.

Pakistan's hopes - as they did in Mohali - now rested on the young shoulders of wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.

But there was to be no heroic century this time as he played down the wrong line to a straight one from Harbhajan and was on his way to the pavillion.

After all that carnage, there was a bright note for the visiting side when Kamal drove Balaji down the ground to complete his sixth Test 50 off 127 balls.

But his innings ended 15 minutes before tea, when his attempt to turn another bouncing Kumble delivery on the on-side succeeded only in finding Mohammad Kaif at short-leg, and the substitute fielder made no mistake.

Kumble took his match haul to 10 wickets when Mohammad Sami, who had battled away for 51 balls, was trapped leg before at the start of the final session.

Harbhajan then cleaned up Danish Kaneria to seal a comprehensive victory and put India in the driving seat ahead of the series finale in Bangalore.