Misbah, Akmal keep Pakistani hope alive
Kolkata,
Dec
2:
Keeping
the
Pakistani
hope
alive,
middle-order
batsman
Misbah-ul-Haq
and
wicketkeeper-batsman
Kamran
Akmal
struck
brilliant
centuries
to
almost
bring
their
team
on
the
verge
of
avoiding
follow-on
on
the
third
day
of
the
second
Test
match
against
India
here
at
the
Eden
Gardens
today.
After the Pakistani top order once again failed to perform to its calibre, leaving the team tottering at 150 with five wickets down at one stage, Misbah and Akmal steadied the innings. The two scored 207 runs for sixth wicket before off-spinner Harbhajan Singh got rid of Akmal, who scored 119, which included 16 fours.
Earlier
this
morning,
it
was
the
same
old
story
for
the
Pakistani
batsmen
as
none
of
their
top
four
players
could
score
even
a
half-century,
and
the
visitors
lost
half
of
their
side
for
just
152
runs.
Thanks to some fine bowling by skipper Anil Kumble and Harbhajan, they lost the wickets of opener Salman Butt (42) and their most outstanding batsman of recent time Mohammad Yousuf (6) within the first hour of the morning session.
Soon, Younis Khan (43) and Faisal Iqbal (0) were also back to pavilion. At stumps on day three, Pakistan was 358 for six, with Misbah unbeaten on 108 and Mohammad Sami batting at nought. Pakistan still needs 59 runs to avoid follow-on with four wickets remaining.
(ANI)
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