Pakistan, Pakistan, Jeevay Pakistan

What a finish to what a test! Pakistan completed day 4 of the third test in Karachi, with a 341 run victory over India. Yes, you did read that right, 341.

Pakistan, over the course of the day, displayed an energy, a fire, a drive which was almost palpable. This energy drove the Indians to take strange risks, to do things none would expect. And this energy turned Mohammad Asif and Abdul Razzaq into strike bowlers who, along with Shoaib Akhtar, made a pitch which looked placid with Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan and RP Singh, look like one where almost every delivery was a Jaffa!

Abdul Razzaq and Faisal Iqbal began the day where they had left off, and the party continued. In an hour, they put on 88 runs and bashed the Indian bowlers to every part of the park. They were both dismissed for 90 and 139 respectively, both important innings in the context of the game. Pakistan declared at 599 for 7, with all the psychological advantages of a 606 run lead.

One would have thought the Indians would have settled down and made up their minds to bat out 160 overs, which may or may not have even given them a chance of victory. Given Pakistan's over-rate in the previous innings, this may have been as low as a 110 overs, difficult but not out of the realm of possibility.

Yet, after 9 deliveries, Dravid was gone pawing outside the off-stump to Shoaib Akhtar, and Sehwag was gone bowled through the gate by an absolute stunner by Asif. One would have thunk that this can only happen once in a match, but then Asif got one to move a touch and another one to stay lower, and Laxman and Tendulkar were gone. The score was only 74, it was an hour to lunch, and there were atleast 9 hours of cricket left. In 3 days, Pakistan had gone from being the deer in headlights, to the semi truck moving at 80 miles per hour.

Yuvraj and Ganguly tried to fight back, and did so admirably, giving Indian fans something to cheer. But now, it was Razzaq's turn to shine. A ball moving in off the seam trapped Ganguly LBW for 37, India at 177 for 5. Dhoni was caught at slip, and Pathan at gully, leaving India at 216 for 7. With all hope gone, Kaneria came on to dismiss Kumble and Zaheer Khan, and shortly after Yuvraj's resistance also crumbled, with India all out for 265.

This was Pakistan's biggest victory by runs, and was a testament to the spirit and energy of a side, that did not have its leader, Inzamam, in the squad. One could see his influence, as he was often sighted in the pavilion, looking out. And it was Inzamam who lofted the series victory trophy. Who would have thunk that Inzy would be a leader of men at the same level as Imran Khan and Abdul Hafeez Kardar. Congrats to our boys!