NEW DELHI, Nov 25: India were closing in on a famous victory despite another fine effort from Shoaib Akhtar who momentarily raised Pakistan’s hopes on the penultimate day of the opening Test at the Ferozshah Kotla Ground here on Sunday.

The big-hearted fast bowler removed the first three batsmen after Pakistan set India a modest target of 203 on the fourth afternoon on a day which generally belonged to the home side who closed the day at 171 for three.

If India achieve their objective, which they should with consummate ease, they would be making history simply because they had never successfully chased more than 190 in the fourth innings at this venue.

With time never a factor on this Kotla track that has surprisingly held up extremely well, Pakistan were poised to taste their third loss in five Tests here at draw of stumps which happened five minutes earlier than the past three days.

Only a miracle of some sort can make India go down on Monday, but otherwise the hosts would romp home as they now require just 32 runs with seven wickets in hand. Sachin Tendulkar (32) and Saurav Ganguly (48) are going great guns in an unfinished stand worth 78 already, having neutralized the threat from Shoaib who yearned for penetrative support from the others which sadly was not there..

Opener Wasim Jaffer played a fine hand to launch the platform for victory, striking eight exquisitely-timed boundaries in an important contribution of after Shoaib claimed Dinesh Karthik caught behind for the second time in this Test, the opener getting the faintest of edges as he tentatively groped in the corridor of uncertainty on the fifth ball of the Indian innings.

Mohammad Sami nearly scalped Rahul Dravid on 13 with India at 36-1, but for West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove’s firm ignorance to a very confident appeal. The tramlines – also referred as the pitch map – on TV replays confirmed much to Sami’s agony that the ball would have crashed somewhere between the lower half of the middle and leg stumps.

As it turned out, Jaffer and Dravid built on an 82-run partnership that inevitably put India in the position they find themselves in now. Jaffer ultimately departed via a superb catch at square by Salman Butt almost on the stroke of tea after reaching his ninth half century in 23 Tests.

Dravid (34) didn’t last much longer after Jaffer dismissal as Shoaib produced a beauty that cut back sharply to dislodge the ‘Wall’s’ leg stump in the second over of the post-tea session.

But thereafter Tendulkar dropped anchor and let Ganguly score freely at the other end. This was a basic cricketing lesson for all those watching as here were two former captains, with tons of international experience behind them, encouraging each other and importantly, ensuring their team benefited.

Personally and significantly, Tendulkar surpassed former Australian captain Allan Border’s tally of 11,174 runs in 156 Tests to move into second place behind the recently retired West Indies skipper Brian Lara (11,953 in 131 Tests) when he flicked Mohammad Sami for four to take his score to 27.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s remaining five wickets fell for the addition of only 35 runs in 17.2 overs as they were bowled out for 247. Disaster befell upon them on the fifth ball of the morning when Zaheer Khan induced Kamran Akmal into slicing a wide one to point where Yuvraj Singh, substituting for Harbhajan Singh, pocketed the ball over his shoulders.

Sohail Tanvir came and went as if he had a train to catch; pulling Zaheer down Harbhajan’s throat at midwicket.

Mohammad Sami defended stoutly before opening his with account on the 21st delivery he faced. But somehow, all hell broke not long after as the final three wickets crashed within the blink of an eye. Kumble pulled of a master stroke by bringing in Saurav Ganguly who rewarded his skipper with two wickets in the same over the moment the second new ball was claimed.

Misbah, looking as solid as he was in the first innings despite feeling the after effects of a sore throat and fever, decided it was time to go on the attack. His eagerness to bring up his second 50 of the Test with a six terminated his 87-ball innings with Karthik running from mid-on to deep midwicket and holding a fine well-judged catch.

Not to be undone, Sami followed suit two balls later and pulled a catch to Jaffer at midwicket and when Kaneria bagged his second ‘pair’ against India, aimlessly getting himself run out on the very first he faced from Kumble, Pakistan had lost the final three wickets in just four deliveries.

In the process Kaneria, who faced only three deliveries in this match, earned the dubious distinction of becoming Pakistan’s highest duck-getter. Sunday’s scoreless dismissal carried Kaneria – 22 ducks in 67 innings – past Waqar Younis, who didn’t troubled 21 times in the 120 innings of his 67 Tests.

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