01-31-2006, 12:32 AM
WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT OF THIS MATCH B/W INDIA & PAKISTAN? Please, give your experienced suggestions.
TODAYS STORY (http//www.cricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/PAK/)
Irfan Pathan, Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly all produced valuable cameos to leave the final Test intriguingly poised going into the final session on the second day. India ensured that Pakistan would be left with only a seven-run first-innings lead on the second afternoon, and Salman Butt and Imran Farhat increased that to 33 in the seven hours bowled before the interval. Yuvraj and Ganguly had stitched together a vital 81-run partnership early in the day, but Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Asif struck in quick succession before lunch as Pakistan regained the initiative. But having then reduced India to 181 for 8, they were foiled by another exhibition of clean hitting from Pathan, who made the most of two reprieves to thump 40 from just 51 balls.
Resuming on 74 for 4, both Ganguly and Yuvraj were eager to make use of whatever opportunities that came their way. Yuvraj set the tone for the first hour with a superb straight-drive off Razzaq and a beautifully timed shot through cover off Asif. At the other end, Ganguly was prepared for a short-ball barrage, and when Shoaib Akhtar came round the wicket, he played one withering slash for four. Shoaib generated serious pace but far too many deliveries bounced harmlessly down leg side or were too short to make the batsmen play. He did dish up a superb yorker clocked at 151.9 kmph, which Ganguly just about kept out, but there were also two misdirected bouncers that went for four byes each.
Yuvraj swayed out of the way of a vicious bouncer, and handled Shoaib with enough comfort, squeezing one down to third man and thumping a slow full-toss through cover for four. The two had added 61 in the morning when Ganguly, as composed as any batsman on view, went for the pull that he has always played so badly. His anguish at the dismissal was all too apparent, and a glove thrown to the ground was symbolic of regret at a big score missed.
Through it all, Asif had bowled an admirable spell, pitching the ball up and darting the ball in and out off the seam. Dhoni looked clueless in the face of Asif's probing off-stump line early on, but then played two splendid off-drives off the back foot. Yuvraj had played some sensational shots on his way to 45, but Asif's perseverance couldn't be denied after he pitched a ball on leg stump and thudded it into the pads.
Two balls later, Dhoni was also back in the pavilion, playing an ugly flail. Only Pakistan's generosity behind the stumps prevented further reverses, with Akmal reprieving Kumble down the leg side, and Younis Khan - who split his hand open in the effort - messing up a chance offered by Pathan, off successive Razzaq deliveries. Shoaib then speared one into Kumble's rib-cage before trapping him in front, but was rendered ineffectual by Pathan. After being smashed past point, he came round the wicket, only to watch with mounting frustration as Pathan played a gorgeous cover-drive and a flat pull for six over backward square leg.
Pakistan also leaked 28 extras, with 17 no-balls among them, and Bob Woolmer, the coach would also have been dismayed by the fielding. Pathan was on six when Asif let a slash skim over his hands at deep point, and Zaheer was then put down by Shoaib in the deep when he went for a similar shot. An impetuous hoick from Pathan denied India the lead, but by then they had done enough to make sure that the fate of this match is still up in the air.
The players walk off the field and that ends the action on the second day. Pakistan have reached a very healthy 173 for 2, an overall lead of 180. Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan will resume battle tomorrow morning at 0500 GMT/1000 Pakistan time/1030 India time
Pakistan 173/2 Overs 39. (lead by 180 runs)
Younis Khan 25* (35b 5x4) Mohammad Yousuf 30* (41b 5x4)
«·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·»
«.......... A D N A N ...............»
«·´`·.(¸.·*(¸.·´ `·.¸)*·.¸).·´`·»
madnan_arshad@hotmail.com
TODAYS STORY (http//www.cricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/PAK/)
Irfan Pathan, Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly all produced valuable cameos to leave the final Test intriguingly poised going into the final session on the second day. India ensured that Pakistan would be left with only a seven-run first-innings lead on the second afternoon, and Salman Butt and Imran Farhat increased that to 33 in the seven hours bowled before the interval. Yuvraj and Ganguly had stitched together a vital 81-run partnership early in the day, but Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Asif struck in quick succession before lunch as Pakistan regained the initiative. But having then reduced India to 181 for 8, they were foiled by another exhibition of clean hitting from Pathan, who made the most of two reprieves to thump 40 from just 51 balls.
Resuming on 74 for 4, both Ganguly and Yuvraj were eager to make use of whatever opportunities that came their way. Yuvraj set the tone for the first hour with a superb straight-drive off Razzaq and a beautifully timed shot through cover off Asif. At the other end, Ganguly was prepared for a short-ball barrage, and when Shoaib Akhtar came round the wicket, he played one withering slash for four. Shoaib generated serious pace but far too many deliveries bounced harmlessly down leg side or were too short to make the batsmen play. He did dish up a superb yorker clocked at 151.9 kmph, which Ganguly just about kept out, but there were also two misdirected bouncers that went for four byes each.
Yuvraj swayed out of the way of a vicious bouncer, and handled Shoaib with enough comfort, squeezing one down to third man and thumping a slow full-toss through cover for four. The two had added 61 in the morning when Ganguly, as composed as any batsman on view, went for the pull that he has always played so badly. His anguish at the dismissal was all too apparent, and a glove thrown to the ground was symbolic of regret at a big score missed.
Through it all, Asif had bowled an admirable spell, pitching the ball up and darting the ball in and out off the seam. Dhoni looked clueless in the face of Asif's probing off-stump line early on, but then played two splendid off-drives off the back foot. Yuvraj had played some sensational shots on his way to 45, but Asif's perseverance couldn't be denied after he pitched a ball on leg stump and thudded it into the pads.
Two balls later, Dhoni was also back in the pavilion, playing an ugly flail. Only Pakistan's generosity behind the stumps prevented further reverses, with Akmal reprieving Kumble down the leg side, and Younis Khan - who split his hand open in the effort - messing up a chance offered by Pathan, off successive Razzaq deliveries. Shoaib then speared one into Kumble's rib-cage before trapping him in front, but was rendered ineffectual by Pathan. After being smashed past point, he came round the wicket, only to watch with mounting frustration as Pathan played a gorgeous cover-drive and a flat pull for six over backward square leg.
Pakistan also leaked 28 extras, with 17 no-balls among them, and Bob Woolmer, the coach would also have been dismayed by the fielding. Pathan was on six when Asif let a slash skim over his hands at deep point, and Zaheer was then put down by Shoaib in the deep when he went for a similar shot. An impetuous hoick from Pathan denied India the lead, but by then they had done enough to make sure that the fate of this match is still up in the air.
The players walk off the field and that ends the action on the second day. Pakistan have reached a very healthy 173 for 2, an overall lead of 180. Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan will resume battle tomorrow morning at 0500 GMT/1000 Pakistan time/1030 India time
Pakistan 173/2 Overs 39. (lead by 180 runs)
Younis Khan 25* (35b 5x4) Mohammad Yousuf 30* (41b 5x4)
«·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·»
«.......... A D N A N ...............»
«·´`·.(¸.·*(¸.·´ `·.¸)*·.¸).·´`·»
madnan_arshad@hotmail.com