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India tour Pakistan
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Pakistan clinch series-levelling win against India
 LAHORE:
Pakistan crushed India by nine wickets to register an emphatic
series-levelling victory with more than a day to spare in the second
cricket Test on Thursday.
Chasing 40 to win after India's second innings ended on 241, the
hosts raced to the target in just seven overs, 25 minutes after
lunch on the fourth day, for the loss of opener Imran Farhat.
Taufeeq Umar scored the winning runs, glancing seamer Irfan Pathan
for four. He raised his bat and hugged non-striker Yasir Hameed in
celebration.
Wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel had saved India the blushes of an innings
defeat with a fighting unbeaten 62, his second Test half-century.
Patel raised 75 for the eighth wicket with Ajit Agarkar (36) to hold
off Pakistan's victory surge after Shoaib Akhtar dismissed Virender
Sehwag (90) and Pathan (nought) after India resumed on their
overnight 149 for five.
Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria grabbed the last three wickets for 12
runs in a 3.4 over spell.
India had won the first Test in Multan last week by an innings and
52 runs.
"The team has shown lot of character and belief to come back and win
this match," Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said.
"We've been under pressure after losing the one-day series 3-2 and
then losing the Test at Multan but the boys have worked very hard to
turn things around."
The visitors resumed on Thursday with Sehwag on a fiery 86.
But Pakistan's pace spearhead Shoaib put paid to India's hopes by
removing him in his fourth over, caught behind while trying to
drive.
Shoaib then softened Pathan with three bouncers and dismissed him
for a duck later in the same over, fending another rising ball to
the leg-side field.
But just when it looked like curtains for India, Patel and Agarkar
came up with a fighting stand to ensure the hosts would have to bat
again.
Agarkar, who has a Test century to his name against England at
Lord's, hit eight fours but leg-spinner Danish Kaneria had him
caught by Taufeeq Umar at slip.
Kaneria struck again in his next over, trapping Anil Kumble stumped
for nought though television replays suggested the third umpire
might have got the decision wrong.
Kumble's back leg was in the air but his front leg seemed to be
grounded inside the crease.
Kaneria then closed out the Indian innings, sending back last-man
Lakshmipathy Balaji for a duck.
"It's disappointing, but we have to give credit to the way Pakistan
bowled," India's stand-in skipper Rahul Dravid said.
"We've lost but we're not down. The boys are eager to make amends in
the final Test."
India are on their first tour of Pakistan in more than 14 years due
to political tensions between the south Asian neighbours, who have
fought three wars with each other since independence from Britain in
1947.
In 2000, the Indian government had banned all home and away cricket
against Pakistan but relations have improved since last year. The
final Test will start in Rawalpindi on April 13.
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