Agence France Presse

Mohali, March 12:

Pakistan found an unlikely saviour in Kamran Akmal to snatch a creditable draw from the jaws of defeat in the opening Test against India on Saturday. Pakistan faced defeat when they resumed batting on the final morning as they were 53 ahead with last four wickets in hand, but Akmal turned the match upside-down with his superb maiden Test century under pressure. The wicketkeeper exceeded expectations as he slammed a solid 109 in only his 11th match to help his team post a massive 496-9 declared in the second innings, their highest total in India. Pakistan batted more than two sessions to shatter India’s hopes of winning the first of a three-Test series. India finished the day at 85-1 after being set an improbable target of 293 runs off 25 overs, with Virender Sehwag scoring 36 and Gautam Gambhir an unbeaten 32.

Akmal led the remarkable recovery as he steered his team to safety with a record 184-run stand with Abdul Razzaq (71). Akmal became only the second Pakistani wicket-keeper after Imtiaz Ahmed (1960-61) to score a Test hundred against India when he fluently drove leg-spinner Anil Kumble through the covers for his 15th four. It was a demoralising day for India, who were in a winning position on Friday. A minor consolation was that Kumble became the fifth Test bowler to complete 450 wickets after Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan and retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh. Fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji finished with nine wickets in his comeback match and Kumble with six, but they failed to deliver when their team needed it most.