Agence France Presse

Bangalore, March 25:

Younis Khan feasted on a listless Indian attack with a maiden double-century as Pakistan posted a massive 570 in the third and final Test here on Friday. He batted almost two days to smash a sparkling 267, the sixth-highest score in Pakistani Test cricket after Hanif Mohammad

(337), Inzamam-ul-Haq (329), Javed Miandad (280 not out and 271) and Zaheer Abbas (274).

India were 55 for no loss in reply at stumps, with Virender Sehwag (39 not out) hitting one six into the stands off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria. Gautam Gambhir was batting on 13. Younis came in to bat in the match’s second over on Thursday and went on to play with immense determination and concentration to frustrate Indian seamers and spinners on a batsman-friendly track. His marathon innings helped Pakistan achieve their highest total in India, the previous best being 496-9 declared in the drawn opening Test at Mohali.

Pakistan are seeking a series-levelling win after losing the second Test in Kolkata by 195 runs.

Younis displayed a wide range of attacking shots during his 504-ball knock, driving, cutting and pulling with authority on way to his double-century. He smashed one six and 32 fours before being caught by Irfan Pathan in the covers off a miscued drive in the last session.

Younis became the first Pakistani batsman to complete a Test double-hundred in India when he glanced leg-spinner Anil Kumble for his 24th boundary. Younis, who scored 147 in the second Test, also surpassed his previous best of 153 against the West Indies at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates in 2002. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, reported for his suspect bowling action in the second Test at Kolkata, dismissed Asim Kamal and Abdul Razzaq in the space of 18 runs in his best spell of the day.

Kamal (4) top-edged a sweep to be caught by skipper Sourav Ganguly at backward square-leg, while Razzaq (5) offered an easy return catch. Harbhajan finished with 6-152, his 16th haul of five or more wickets in an innings in 45 Tests. But Pakistan were already on course for a huge total before Harbhajan’s twin-strike, thanks to Younis’s brilliant knock. Younis, 127 overnight, offered a chance on 179 when he edged paceman Laxmipathy Balaji in the slips but the ball went between Venkatsai Laxman and Rahul Dravid for a four. He held the innings together after the dismissal of skipper Inzamam, who fell at his overnight score of 184. He was trapped leg-before by Balaji off the first ball he faced this morning. The Pakistani captain struck 25 fours in his 264-ball knock. India’s breakthrough came after almost a day as Inzamam and Younis put on 324 after two wickets had fallen in the opening three overs on Thursday. There was no respite for the hosts as Younis again propped up the innings with an 84-run stand for the fourth wicket with Yousuf Youhana (37), who was caught behind trying to cut Harbhajan.