Pakistan grabbed two quick wickets to spark some life into the third and final Test on Tuesday after Misbah-ul-Haq’s unbeaten century brought the visitors 89 runs short of India’s first-innings total of 626.
In-form Misbah struck 133 and was involved in two fruitful partnerships to help the visitors, resuming at 369-5, post 537. Paceman Ishant Sharma struck four times to hasten the end for his first five-wicket haul.
Pakistan removed the Indian openers quickly but an undefeated third-wicket stand of 105 between Rahul Dravid (35) and Saurav Ganguly (63) dashed the visitors’ hopes of securing an improbable series-levelling victory.
The hosts, who lead the series 1-0 after winning the opening test by six wickets in New Delhi, were 131-2 at stumps on day four, taking their overall lead to 220.
Resuming at 54, a composed Misbah hit 17 fours in his 322-ball knock for his second century after scoring his maiden ton in the drawn second Test in Kolkata.
Misbah took his overnight sixth-wicket stand with Kamran Akmal (65) to 144 to first help the visitors avoid the follow-on.
He then shared in an entertaining 93-run stand for the next wicket with debutant Yasir Arafat (44).
Misbah (33), who got a test lifeline after the retirement of former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq in October, frustrated the experienced Indian spin duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh with his stout defence.
Akmal, who scored his eighth fifty, was stumped off Harbhajan after he helped avert the follow-on, and Arafat followed up his five-wicket haul with a fine effort before playing-on to Sharma.
His dismissal set off a collapse, with the remaining three wickets falling for the addition of just 12 runs.
Playing in only his second Test, 19-year-old Sharma cleaned up the tail in a 6.1-over burst in which he took four wickets, beginning with Arafat.
Sharma, who got an opportunity to play following injuries to senior bowlers, yorked Mohammad Sami for one, had Shoaib Akhtar caught at short-leg, also for one, and had last man Danish Kaneria caught and bowled for four.
India conceded a Test record 76 extras, the previous mark being 71 by West Indies.
Spearhead Shoaib then dismissed left-hander Gautam Gambhir for three with a slower one and Arafat trapped Wasim Jaffer (18) lbw for the second time in the match.
But the in-form Ganguly, who scored a maiden double hundred in the first innings, and Dravid denied the visitors further success in a display on controlled batting.
Ganguly lashed nine fours and a six off leg-spinner Kaneria to notch up his 30th fifty in his 99th Test. — Reuters