Sporting wicket at last

By ICF Staff
January 30 2006

Irfan Pathan's sensational first-over hat-trick puts Pakistan on the back foot in the third Test, and 14 wickets go down in a day to turn the nature of the series dramatically.

At Karachi, Dravid won the toss for the first time in the series and decided to bowl, as disappointed fans watched Pakistan walk out to bat first for the third time in the series.

But it was to prove an excellent decision as Pakistan started on a disastrous note against 20-year old Irfan Pathan, losing Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammad Yousuf for duck in successive deliveries in the first over of the match.

It was the first time in Test cricket history that a hat-trick came in the first over of the match, and the second hat-trick in Tests for India after Harbhajan Singh's effort against Australia in 2001. Pakistan was tottering at 0/3, soon to fall to 39/6 as Zaheer Khan and RP Singh joined in the fun.

Umpire Darryl Harper's bizarre reprieve for Abdul Razzaq after he was struck low in front of middle stump by a straight delivery from Zaheer Khan early in his innings was a huge letoff for Pakistan, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal hit the innings of his life to bring up a century, saving his side the blushes before they were eventually out for 245, with Pathan notching up a 5-for.

Thereafter, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman went out to open after Virender Sehwag was ruled ineligible to bat because he was off the field for an over at the end of Pakistan's innings.

As much as the Wall's and Laxman's abilities to defend indefinitely and notch up big innings at low strike rates is appreciated, it would be nice if they could do the same in bowler-friendly conditions. Both departed cheaply to rookie paceman Mohammad Asif.

It was not Virender Sehwag's day, caught behind off Shoaib Akhtar. Sachin Tendulkar was greeted by a bouncer from Akhtar, who should be barred from bowling with his illegal action before he does any real harm. Chucked bouncers are difficult to spot. Tendulkar spanked the Pakistani bowlers for some nice boundaries before his now-customary loss of concentration to gift his wicket to journeyman medium-pacer Abdul Razzaq.

Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh took over proceedings in low light conditions before play was temporarily called off, then resumed as they took India to stumps without further loss of wicket at 74/4, which looks considerably better than 39/6.

Tomorrow will be a crucial day in the series, and if Ganguly and Yuvraj can survive the morning session on a pitch that aids movement to put together a big partnership, India would owe them.