Pakistan Continue With Resurgence

Vice-captain Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana crackedcenturies to lead Pakistan's resurgence on the second day and restore thebalance of the second Test against India today.

Youhana brought up his 13th Test hundred in dramaticfashion off the last ball of the day as he smacked Harbhajan Singh for a four tomid-wicket to bring the curtains on a day of dominance for Pakistan.

Younis Khan, under pressure to hold his place in theteam following failures in the warm-up game and the first Test, blunted theIndian attack with his dogged persistence to notch up his seventh career hundredat the Eden Gardens.

The duo's record third wicket stand of 203 runs sawPakistan post a healthy 273 for two, still 134 runs behind India's 407, at closeon the second day.

The partnership between Youhana (101) and Younis (108) surpassedPakistan's previous best for the same wicket against India -- 155 between ShoaibMohammed and Javed Miandad at Chennai in 1987.

Earlier, India's tail wagged long enough to frustrate Pakistan and post ahealthy total.

India found unlikely batting heroes in Harbhajan andAnil Kumble who added 44 runs for the last wicket to help the hosts make 407before being bundled out half an hour before lunch.

Pakistan made a confident start to the day's play whenthey picked three quick wickets to reduce India to 363 for nine but Harbhajanand Kumble proved to be a thorn in their flesh.

Harbhajan struck a 39-ball 27 with four hits to thefence while his slow bowling partner Kumble remained unbeaten on 21 with equalnumber of boundaries.

Resuming at 344 for six, India lost Dinesh Kaarthickfor the addition of one run to the board. The wicketkeeper batsman failed to addto his overnight score of 28 and was run out in the second over of the morning.

Two more wickets fell inside the 10th over withLakshmipathy Balaji (3) Irfan Pathan (8) struggling to reproduce their battingskills witnessed in the first Test.

That meant India had lost seven wickets for 85 runsfrom being 278 for two at one stage yesterday.

Abdul Razzaq brought the innings to an end when he hadHarbhajan leg before the wicket to return with figures of three for 62.

Shahid Afridi (3-80) and Danish Kaneria (3-136) were the other successfulbowlers for Pakistan.

Pakistan made a solid start in response to India'sfirst innings total with a pugnacious performance by the top order.

Afridi provided the visitors a brisk start with awhirlwind knock of 29 from 21 balls.

Afridi's bludgeoning innings, filled with seven fours,was nipped in the bud but the batsman had served the purpose of taking the windout of India's sails.

The new ball combination of Pathan (1-42) and Balaji(1-39) did not look as menacing as it did in the first Test and although TaufeeqUmar (18) fell at 70, Younis and Youhana were able to bat freely.

Younis, who had failed both in the three-day warm upgame as well as the series opener, found his form in time for his team asskipper Inzamam-ul Haq could not bat at his regular number four position.

Inzamam had been off the field with an injury forbetter part of the day yesterday.

Younis found able support in Youhana and the two milkedthe Indian bowling with some sharp running between the wickets.

Kumble went wicketless in his 20 overs while Harbhajan, introduced late in theday, found the two well settled by the time he came on.

Pathan seemed to struggle for rhythm while Balaji'sinexperience showed in bowling to batsmen high on confidence.

Younis had faced questions back home when he was handedthe vice-captaincy for the series.

He had to first prove his worth as a batsman and thehorrendous run at the start of the series did not help.

But donning the mantle of captaincy as Inzamamrecuperated from an injury on the field yesterday must have worked wonders forYounis' confidence.

Whereas he had got out to hesitant strokes previously,today he was collected and technically sound.

He was repeatedly rapped on the pads by Kumble, a chinkin the armour in spotting the straighter one, but was brilliant in cutting theleg spinner through point.

Younis reached his century with a miscued pull offPathan. He had so far faced 167 balls and hit 14 fours.

Youhana at the other end was his usual lazy elegance.He was on top of Harbhajan from the outset as he drove him confidently on thefront foot.

Fittingly, his century came off the same bowler in thelast over of the day when he pulled him through mid-wicket, 13th boundary of ablemishless knock.

The last session once again proved bad for India asPakistan plundered 126 runs.

PTI