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Inzamam slams century in 100th test appearance to revive Pakistan

Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq celebrated his 100th test appearance with an aggressive century Thursday that set Pakistan on course for a huge score in the third and final cricket test against India.

Inzamam slammed an unbeaten 119 by tea to become the fifth batsman in test cricket's 129-run history to cap his 100th test with a century, joining England's Colin Cowdrey and Alec Stewart, Gordon Greenidge of the West Indies and Pakistan's Javed Miandad.
He shared an unbroken 195-run partnership with Younis Khan, who was 72 not out, as Pakistan reached 202 for two at the break on the first day.

Pakistan lost two early wickets - openers Shahid Afridi for a duck and Yasir Hammed for six - in 17 balls before Inzamam joined Khan in the third over of the match.

Inzamam smashed 16 boundaries from 171 deliveries during his attacking 226-minute knock.

Khan hit seven fours off 173 balls in his sound 234-minute knock that was overshadowed by Inzamam's authoritative innings.

Inzamam won the toss for the first time this series, but Pakistan was rattled by two blows from Laxmaipathy Balaji and Pathan.

Hameed off-drove Pathan for a boundary in the first over, but Afridi got out first ball to Balaji, edging a catch into the hands of Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Hameed, who replaced Taufeeq Umar in the lineup for this test, fell for six in the third over. He chased a Pathan outswinger and ended up edging it to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik.

Inzamam, 35, notched up a century of test appearances when he went out for the toss, becoming the fourth Pakistan cricketer to appear in 100 tests after Javed Miandad (124 tests), Wasim Akram (104) and Salim Malik (103).

Before the start of play, both teams lined up on the boundary line to congratulate Inzamam, who was also presented with a commemorative crystal bowl by the Pakistan Cricket Board and a salver by the Bangalore-based Karnataka State Cricket Association, which is staging this test.

Asserting his authority against the spinners, Inzamam pulled leg-spinner Anil Kumble square for four as he closed on to his half-century, which came through a cover-driven four off Harbhajan Singh in the last over before lunch.

On way to his 131-ball century, Inzamam guided off-spinner Singh for four to covers using just his wrists, and no swing of the bat, to impart power to the stroke.