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Pakistan gain advantage against India

After their forgettable first-innings experience, Pakistani batsmen came good a second time round against Indian pacers to wrest advantage on the second day of the third and final Test here Monday.

As the National Stadium pitch eased out for batting, Indian bowlers struggled and Pakistan made 173 for two in their second innings, after taking a seven-run first-innings lead - an overall lead of 180.


At close, stand-in captain Younis Khan (25, 35 balls, 5x4s) and Mohammad Yousuf (30, 41 balls, 5x4s) were at the crease.


Earlier, replying to Pakistan's first innings' 245, India were bowled out for 238, with Yuvraj Singh being the top scorer with 45 (74 balls, 8x4s), as this match looks to be heading for a result.


When Pakistan batted a second time, openers Salman Butt (53, 74 balls, 10x4s) and Imran Farhat (57, 87 balls, 10x4s) raised 109 runs for the first wicket to give Pakistan a further advantage.


Left-handed Butt had failed to score in the first innings when he became left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan's first victim in his sensational hat-trick in the match's opening over. Farhat had scored 22 runs in the first innings.


The Indian bowlers, especially the pace trio of Pathan, Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh, looked quite different.


Butt and Farhat were in no difficulty as they raised the first 100-run stand of the match.


It took the gentle medium pace of Sourav Ganguly to give India their first breakthrough as he had Butt leg before the wicket. Once Butt was gone, Farhat also followed soon into the dressing room, caught by Sachin Tendulkar off Pathan.


From 109 for no loss, the scoreboard now read 122 for two. But that was all India could achieve Monday, as Younis, leading the side in the absence of an injured Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Yousuf saw the day off without further damage. So far the two have added 51 runs for the third wicket.


The day started with India at 74 for four and Sourav Ganguly (9) and Yuvraj Singh (7) at the crease.


They added 81 crucial runs for the fifth wicket before Ganguly was out for 34 (53 balls, 6x4s). Yuvraj went on to make the innings' top score of 45 (74 balls, 8x4s).


Late in the order, Pathan underlined his growing value as a left-handed batsman when he made 40 (51 balls, 6x4s, 1x6).


All these efforts, however, were not enough to give India a lead.


For Pakistan, Mohammed Asif was the most successful bowler with four for 78 while Abdul Razzaq took three scalps.


The first two Tests in Lahore and Faisalabad ended in dull draws.


The Indian team is in Pakistan on a 45-day tour, during which it will also play five one-day internationals.


India and Pakistan have so far played five Tests in Karachi, with the home side winning two. India are yet to register their first win at the National Stadium, while three Tests were drawn.

Source: Yahoo! Cricket