The first Test in the sizzling heat of Multan is over bar the shouting and with Pakistan precariously and agonizingly standing at 207 for nine at stumps in the second venture on the fourth evening only the award ceremony has been left to be held on Thursday morning (today) to the regret and sadness of the Pakistani enthusiasts of cricket.
India will be one-up in the three-match series and will enter the second Test with their spirits high and their tails up.
On the fourth day when the wheel of events swung from the optimism of saving the follow-on with the unfortunate run-out of Inzamamul Haq and the departure of Razzaq, caught at backward short leg off Anil Kumble, one cannot but pay handsome tribute to the brilliant and splendid century scored by Yousuf Youhana at a time when all was lost for Pakistan.
It was a mixture of superb determination and well-proportioned aggression. Youhana had started when the sun streamed on the Multan Cricket Stadium and he was still there at the crease when the afternoon beckoned the end of the proceedings of the match on day 4.
Youhana, who was earlier in the one-dayers struggling to find touch, came back to form with a style and class and a quality of nerve that is needed at difficult moments. From the purist point of view it was an entirely technically exacting knock.
There was too much pressure on Pakistan and nobody thought that he would conquer the venom and spite that was in the wicket taking spin after being a bowler's graveyard for most of the duration of this Test match.
But Youhana held the fort at one end with the Indian attack accurate and Kumble becoming more dangerous as wickets fell at regular intervals. But Youhana coolly coped with the awkwardly spinning balls against a fielding which was always alert and quick.
As the strip started giving aid and assistance to Anil Kumble he became a much more cunning and skilful leg-breaker than one could have imagined.
A bag of 6 for 71 was a fine reward for his excellent performance of spin bowling.
The deceitful turn and change of pace of Kumble was as good an effort as Sehwag's triple hundred and Tendulkar's century earlier, which helped raise the Indians' total to a record level.
Now that the outcome is virtually settled one can ask the officials of the cricket board as to who was responsible for ordering the preparation of a batsman's paradise for a team reputed for its batting strength.
As it was the Indians plundered 675 for 5, taking full advantage of a sleeping surface. Both captain Inzamam and Imran Khan have hit out at the dead wicket but who is to take the blame for it.
It is the board's responsibility to get the pitch prepared and here PCB's Chief Executive, Ramiz Raja, the main administrator and Mr know-all of cricket, cannot be left out from this mismanagement, which spoiled Pakistan's chances, if at all there were any.
One hopes things are better controlled in the two other Test centres.
The curtain is to fall on this match but the fans of the game cannot but regret the umpiring blunder in which Inzamam was given out of a dubious decision.
The ball touched his pad but not the bat but umpire Simon Taufel's finger went up to give him caught by Akash Chopra off Kumble.
His dismissal when he was well set changed the course of the match towards India at a time when Pakistan appeared to be putting up a fine resistance.
Inzamam refused to comment on Taufel's lapse but the Pakistan management perhaps has taken up the matter with the ICC.
The Indians appeal too much and Taufel could not keep up his nerves and did not give the benefit of doubt to Inzamam, where it was needed.
It was a torture to see the Test after India's huge first innings total; it had become boring and one-sided, even though India's first Test success in Pakistan was almost cinch.-Agencies
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