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Yuvraj hits maiden ton
Lahore, Apr 05: Pugnacious left-hander Yuvraj Singh hit a maiden century to anchor India`s fightback after a career-best 5-31 by Pakistan`s Umar Gul in the second Test on Monday.
Lahore, Apr 05: Pugnacious left-hander Yuvraj Singh hit a maiden century to anchor India's fightback after a career-best 5-31 by Pakistan's Umar Gul in the second Test on Monday.
Yuvraj, playing only his third Test, hit 112 before he was last man out as India recovered from a precarious 127-6 to make 287 on the opening day at the Gaddafi stadium.
Pakistan, looking to level the three-match series after losing the first Test at Multan by an innings and 52 runs last week, were 61-1 in reply at close.
Taufeeq Umar was the batsman out, bowled by Laxmipathy Balaji for 24, but Imran Farhat (25) and Yasir Hameed (4) saw out a good day for Pakistan.
Gul, who turns 20 next week, destroyed India's top order in a hostile spell of 12 overs after stand-in captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to take first strike on a greenish wicket.
Yuvraj, playing only because regular captain Sourav Ganguly was injured, engineered India's recovery which saw the last three wickets add 140 precious runs.
Irfan Pathan, who joined Yuvraj at 147-7, hit a career-best 49 in an eighth-wicket stand of 117.
Yuvraj, coming into bat with the tourists reeling at 94-4, hit 14 boundaries and two towering sixes in his century before holing out to deep mid-wicket off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
"I feel great and proud of myself because when I went in the team was in trouble and when you perform when the chips are down, it is something special," Yuvraj said.
"This century means a lot to my career. I am not worried about my place in the team because whatever cricket I get I want to perform.
"We have a decent total on the board. There is something in the pitch for the bowlers and it is now up to the bowlers to get them out cheaply."
Before Yuvraj came into his own, Gul claimed the prize wickets of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in successive overs and the vital one of Venkatsai Laxman to leave India at 107-4 by lunch.
Bureau Report
Pakistan, looking to level the three-match series after losing the first Test at Multan by an innings and 52 runs last week, were 61-1 in reply at close.
Taufeeq Umar was the batsman out, bowled by Laxmipathy Balaji for 24, but Imran Farhat (25) and Yasir Hameed (4) saw out a good day for Pakistan.
Gul, who turns 20 next week, destroyed India's top order in a hostile spell of 12 overs after stand-in captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to take first strike on a greenish wicket.
Yuvraj, playing only because regular captain Sourav Ganguly was injured, engineered India's recovery which saw the last three wickets add 140 precious runs.
Irfan Pathan, who joined Yuvraj at 147-7, hit a career-best 49 in an eighth-wicket stand of 117.
Yuvraj, coming into bat with the tourists reeling at 94-4, hit 14 boundaries and two towering sixes in his century before holing out to deep mid-wicket off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
"I feel great and proud of myself because when I went in the team was in trouble and when you perform when the chips are down, it is something special," Yuvraj said.
"This century means a lot to my career. I am not worried about my place in the team because whatever cricket I get I want to perform.
"We have a decent total on the board. There is something in the pitch for the bowlers and it is now up to the bowlers to get them out cheaply."
Before Yuvraj came into his own, Gul claimed the prize wickets of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in successive overs and the vital one of Venkatsai Laxman to leave India at 107-4 by lunch.
Bureau Report