Lahore, January 14:

Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal both blazed centuries on Saturday as Pakistan built a commanding total against India on the second day of the first Test.

Virender Sehwag (36) and captain Rahul Dravid (22) guided India to 65 without loss in reply at Gaddafi Stadium and saw off the 13 overs before bad light ended the day’s play 19 overs before the scheduled close. Sehwag hit seven boundaries in his better than run a ball unbeaten knock while Dravid was little troubled by fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s early pace with the new ball.

Afridi hammered 103 off 80 balls while Akmal remained unbeaten on 102 off 81 balls as Pakistan declared its first innings at a formidable 679 for seven.

The hard-hitting Afridi and Akmal took over Pakistan’s run-spree after Younis Khan (199) missed a double century and was run out in the first session after combining for a triple century partnership with Mohammad Yousuf (173).

Afridi hit seven sixes with four coming in Harbhajan Singh’s (0-176) one over that cost him a total of 27 runs. He also hit seven fours and raised his fourth Test century with a straight boundary off Ajit Agarkar (2-122) that bounced just inside the boundary line. Akmal took over from Afridi and hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 108-minute century before the declaration came half an hour before the tea break.

Earlier, Khan became the seventh batsmen in Test cricket to miss a double century by one run when he attempted a sharp single and was run out. He drove to mid-on but failed to beat a direct throw from Singh as Afridi stood his ground at the non-striker’s end and Khan failed to get back to his crease.

Khan batted nearly eight hours and faced 336 balls, during which he hit 26 fours that included three fours off part-time spinner Sachin Tendulkar’s one over. Yousuf hammered 21 fours and two sixes in his strokeful knock off 199 balls before leg-spinner Anil Kumble (2-178) struck in successive overs.

Kumble broke the 319-run third wicket partnership and had Yousuf stumped before captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (1) misjudged a sweep and was adjudged leg before wicket when he was struck on the front pad on the full.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN — 1st innings (overnight 326-2)

Y Khan run out 199

M Yousuf st Dhoni b Kumble 173

Inzamam lbw b Kumble 1

S Afridi c Harbhajan b Agarkar 103

K Akmal not out 102

R Naved c Ganguly b Agarkar 9

M Sami not out 1

Extras: 26 (b4, lb12, nb8, w2)

Total: 679/7 (declared)

FoW: 1-12, 2-136, 3-455, 4-456, 5-477, 6-647, 7-668

India bowling: Pathan 32-4-133-1, Agarkar 24-3-122-2, Ganguly 6-1-14-0, Harbhajan 34-5-176-0, Kumble 39.3-2-178-2, Sehwag 6-0-24-0, Tendulkar 2-0-16-0

INDIA — 1st innings

V Sehwag not out 36

R Dravid not out 22

Extras: 7 (lb5, nb1, w1)

Total: 65 (for no loss)

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 5-2-14-0, Naved 4-0-23-0, Afridi 2-0-12-0, Sami 2-0-11-0