India v Pakistan

At Mohali, March 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 2005. Drawn. Toss: India.

Though Pakistan's supporters were delighted by the welcome from their hosts, their team found the hospitality stopped at the boundary. Pakistan struggled against Balaji's full length and late swing in the first innings, and their poor catching allowed India, particularly Sehwag, to assume control and build a 204-run lead. When Pakistan slumped to ten for three on the fourth morning, defeat seemed certain and the shops even more inviting.

But India relaxed their grip. Pakistan closed the day on 257 for six, 53 ahead, and the overnight pair were to save them. A maiden Test century by the 23-year-old wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal, was matched by a focused innings from Abdul Razzaq. Between them, they added 184, a seventh-wicket record for Pakistan against India, to ensure the draw and leave the home coach, John Wright, bemoaning his team's lack of a killer instinct.

It was perhaps their lack of a second spinner that cost them the match. They had opted for an extra seamer on the assumption the pitch would help the quick bowlers but, despite a sprinkling of grass, India's seam attack faltered. Balaji was the exception, in a stunning comeback. He had returned to domestic cricket only a month before, after a serious side injury, but his consistent line earned him his first five-wicket haul in Tests, including Asim Kamal, whose watchful 91 took Pakistan past 300 on the opening day, and he finished with nine in the match.

Persistent drizzle wiped out half the second day; the stage was finally clear for Sehwag's entrance in mid-afternoon. Against an attack somewhat greener than the pitch - Razzaq was Pakistan's most experienced bowler - Sehwag punished anything off line or short, aided by two dropped catches in the slips when he was 15 and 82. Early on the third day, he reached his hundred; in all, he batted nearly six hours for 173, and shared three century partnerships for the first three wickets (a feat never achieved by an Indian before) to bat Pakistan out of the match.

Sehwag's dismissal, miscuing a pull to mid-on, left the spotlight firmly on Tendulkar. His quest for the 35th Test hundred which would take him past Gavaskar's record gripped the crowd; unfortunately, it also gripped him. Tendulkar became cranky as he neared the landmark, and his end - caught in the gully playing away from his body - was careless, as was the time he had taken: 301 minutes. In sharp contrast to his entertaining stand of 118 in 28 overs with Sehwag, he and Ganguly had consumed 23 vital overs adding just 47. One was chasing history, the other chasing form, but they left India chasing the game.

Nevertheless, they remained favourites to win the race. Laxman pushed the score past 500 for their third successive Test innings; all four bowlers conceded over 100 runs, though leg-spinner Danish Kaneria had the compensation of six wickets. Within five overs of resuming, Pakistan lost their top three to strokes of submission. Clearly annoyed by their ineptitude, Inzamam led from the front, putting on 139 with the accomplished Yousuf Youhana. Even so, they ended the day staring at defeat. It was all too much for Inzamam, who spent most of the final day unable to watch. "I felt a lot of pressure," he admitted.

When he finally emerged into the daylight, Pakistan were on the road to safety. India failed to apply pressure, Ganguly became negative with his fields and Kamran was able to play his shots, hitting 16 fours in a lively century, while Razzaq restricted himself to four, plus a six. They were not parted for 56 overs, and the tail advanced to 496, briefly Pakistan's highest total in India, before Inzamam declared. India were worn down by a lack of time and ideas.

Man of the Match: Kamran Akmal.