Wasim Jaffer hit a brisk half-century as India kept alive their hopes of forcing a win in the second Test against Pakistan here on Monday. The opener followed his first-innings 202 with 56 to help the hosts reach 141-2 in their second innings for an overall lead of 301 at stumps on the penultimate day.
India, leading 1-0 in the three-Test series, shuffled their batting order to gather quick runs in a bid to set a testing fourth-innings target for Pakistan on the fifth and final day. Hard-hitting Mahendra Singh Dhoni (28) and Sourav Ganguly (24), who were promoted in the batting order, were at the crease when bad light stopped play. Pakistan will need to bat more than two sessions on a last-day pitch on Tuesday if India declare their second innings closed during the morning session.
Misbah-ul-Haq earlier gave Pakistan a lifeline when he remained unbeaten with a gutsy 161 to help his side avoid a follow-on. The middle-order batsman showed remarkable determination and concentration under pressure, forcing India to bat again in the match when he had only tailenders to give him company. Pakistan were bowled out for 456 in the afternoon in reply to India's first-innings total of 616-5 declared, with Misbah and Sami adding 91 crucial runs for the seventh wicket.
Skipper Anil Kumble kept rotating his bowlers to break the Misbah-Sami stand, but it was part-time spinner Venkatsai Laxman who provided the breakthrough. When Laxman had Sami (38) caught by Jaffer at mid-off, Pakistan had already averted the follow-on. Sami struck a six off leg-spinner Kumble and two fours. Harbhajan finished with 5-122, his 20th haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings. Kumble took three wickets.
West Indies umpire Billy Doctrove was off the field for an hour in the morning after feeling unwell. He was replaced with third-umpire Amish Saheba of India.
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