Pathan blasts Pakistan

What a way to start the third test. Everything which could go wrong for Pakistan, went wrong. Inzamam was unable to start the day. Some would contend they picked the wrong lineup. Pakistan lost the toss, and India chose to bowl, and then somehow at the end of the first over, Pakistan was 0 for 3. Yes, 0 for 3. Not 3 for 0. Irfan Pathan bowled some good deliveries, the batsmen showed some bad technique, and Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf all fell. While many would blame the technique of the batsmen, it takes some special bowling to take out the top three batsmen in the Pakistani lineup, and two of them via a bowled and LBW.

With the three wickets falling, Faisal Iqbal and Imran Farhat had a chance to make an impression, and they did not. Faisal Iqbal fell with the score at 13, Shahid Afridi only lasted 4 overs falling for 10, with the score at 37, and Imran Farhat was caught behind at 39.

At 30 minutes to lunch Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal have stabilized something somewhat, and at 84-6, the score is no longer as ridiculous as it could have been. Atleast a score around a 100 will give the Pakistani bowlers something to work with.

The squad picked is really an intriguing one for Pakistan. With Inzamam not playing, a batsman was needed, but on a pitch where there was as much grass and moisture, someone like Umar Gul or Rana Naved could have worked something, and even Mohammad Sami may have been of some benefit here.
Now only time will tell.