Afridi scripts Pakistan's series-levelling win over India by AFP

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Ground:	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Scorecard:	India v Pakistan
Player:	Shahid Afridi
Event:	Pakistan in India 2004/05

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DateLine: 28th March 2005

 

Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi triggered a sensational Indian collapse with three top wickets to mastermind Pakistan's 168-run victory in the third and final Test.

 

Pakistan drew the series 1-1 after India, chasing a 383-run target, were shot out for 214 just before close of play on the last day.

 

The hosts lost their last nine wickets for a meagre 106 on a Chinnaswamy stadium wicket which was still good for batting.

 

The opening Test was drawn at Mohali, while India won the second Test in Calcutta by 195 runs.

 

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria completed Pakistan's dream victory when he trapped Laxmipathy Balaji leg-before with just 6.1 overs remaining here on Monday.

 

The 25-year-old Afridi, in the team only as a third spinner after Kaneria and Arshad Khan, did the trick by catching the ultra-defensive Indian batsmen on the wrong foot.

 

Even Sachin Tendulkar, who became India's leading scorer after surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's record of 10,122 runs, looked a pale shadow of his former attacking self. He made 16 off 98 balls after surviving a chance on nine.

 

The Indian tail-enders, led by gutsy Anil Kumble (37 not out), offered stiff resistance by lasting as many as 20 overs to delay the inevitable.

 

Afridi never allowed the Indian batsmen to settle down with his fastish leg-breaks, removing Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman and out-of-form Sourav Ganguly to finish with 3-13 off 17 overs.

 

Off-spinner Arshad, playing his first Test in five years, finished with 2-21.

 

The famed Indian middle order failed to cope with the pressure as Pakistan grabbed four wickets in the second session to reduce the hosts to 135-5 after getting just one in the morning.

 

India's hopes of chasing the target virtually ended after the run out of Virender Sehwag (38), capable of tearing apart any attack with his amazing stroke-play.

 

He had been looking dangerous during his stay at the wicket, smashing seamer Abdul Razzaq for three consecutive fours and then lofting Kaneria for two boundaries.

 

But once Sehwag was run out, failing to beat a Razzaq direct-throw to the non-striker's end following a mix-up with Gautam Gambhir (52), India went on the defensive.

 

The hosts, who resumed at 25 for no loss, scored 77 in the first session and 38 in the second.

 

Even the draw seemed a remote possibility when India lost four wickets in the space of 27 runs in the second session, with Afridi taking two and Arshad and paceman Mohammad Sami one apiece.

 

Pakistan came back into the match after lunch when they removed Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in the space of 10 runs to reduce the hosts to 118-3.

 

Venkatsai Laxman also did not survive long, trapped leg-before by Afridi.

 

Afridi struck again when he bowled Ganguly (two) with a big leg-break, the batsman standing at the crease in disbelief before leaving for the pavilion.

 

Gambhir played a key role in an 87-run stand for the opening wicket with Sehwag (38) before being trapped leg-before by Sami.

 

He hit seven fours in his second Test half-century, but not before getting the benefit of the doubt from Australian umpire Simon Taufel following an appeal for caught behind off seamer Razzaq early in the day.

 

Dravid also did not last long, caught pad-bat by Younis at silly-point in Arshad's first over.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)