Kumble bowls India to big win over Pakistan

Sun Mar 20, 5:49 AM ET

By N.Ananthanarayanan

CALCUTTA (Reuters) - Leg spinner Anil Kumble captured seven wickets for 63 to bowl India to a 195-run victory over Pakistan in the second test on Sunday.


Reuters Photo

  

The 34-year-old bowler grabbed his seventh 10-wicket haul in tests to help to dismiss Pakistan for 226 after tea on the final day, giving India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.


The hosts had set an imposing fourth-innings target of 422 runs, never before achieved.


Pakistan were reduced to 223 for eight at tea after Kumble took four wickets after lunch following his twin strikes early on the final morning.


Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh bowled last man Danish Kaneria 23 minutes after tea, setting off wild celebrations among the Indian players and a large holiday crowd of some 45,000.


The victory helped India to avenge their narrow defeat in an Asian test championship match against Pakistan at Eden Gardens in 1999.


Kumble, a master bowler on breaking pitches at home, revealed his versatility to pile on the pressure for the batsmen on a slow pitch which still looked good for batting.


The bowler, who took all 10 second-innings wickets to bowl India to a series-levelling victory over Pakistan in 1999, had a match haul of 161 for 10.


He dashed Pakistani hopes of any fightback after they forced a draw in the first test in Mohali with just four wickets in hand entering the final day.


It was Pakistan's seventh defeat in their last 10 tests.


Rahul Dravid, who set up the victory with 110 and 135 in each innings, was named man of the match.


India had declared their second innings at 407 for nine after tea on day four, having piled up 407 all out and then restricted Pakistan to 393 in their second innings.


KUMBLE STRIKES


Pakistan, resuming on 95 for one, saw their hopes of salvaging a draw evaporate after they lost three wickets for 20 runs.


Kumble struck with the first ball to have vice-captain Younis Khan, who top-scored with 147 in the first innings, stumped by Dinesh Karthik for a second-ball duck.


Pakistan were reduced to 115 for four after Kumble and fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji struck off successive deliveries to remove captain Inzamam-ul Haq (13) and opener Taufeeq Umar (35).


Inzamam played a faster delivery from Kumble on to his stumps and Balaji forced left-hander Taufeeq to edge the first ball of the next over to Virender Sehwag at second slip.


Kumble joined off spinner Harbhajan Singh to exert pressure on Yousuf Youhana, who hit 104 in the first innings, and Asim Kamal after lunch to great effect.

The tall bowler first removed Youhana, to a bat-pad catch at forward shortleg as he uncertainly prodded forward.

He then bowled all rounder Abdul Razzaq for six, playing back to a googly, to reduce Pakistan to 188 for six.

Harbhajan bowled wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who hit a match-saving maiden hundred in Mohali, for seven..

Pakistan's last hopes of resistance vanished when left-hander Asim Kamal was out for a well-made 50, his sixth.

Kamal, dropped on his lunch score of 33 edging Harbhajan to Rahul Dravid at slip, edged a sharp Kumble leg-break to forward shortleg.

The third and final test begins in Bangalore on Thursday.