Khan and Yousuf lead Pakistan recovery

Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf led a Pakistan recovery Saturday after India dismissed both openers before lunch on the first day of the second cricket test. Khan and Yousuf both scored centuries in the drawn first test last week and were unbeaten on 39 and 37 respectively as Pakistan reached 137 for two in the extended two and a half hour first session.

The batsmen combined for 72 runs in an hour with Khan hitting seven boundaries and Yousuf hammering five fours and a straight six over the head of leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Salman Butt (37) and Shoaib Malik (19) provided a reasonable start of 49 runs in the first hour after Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat on a flat Iqbal Stadium wicket before the Indian left-armers struck.

Malik was caught in the slips when the ball deflected off the back of his bat as he tried to dodge rookie fast bowler Rudra Pratap Singh's short delivery. Butt looked in good form and hit seven fours, including a fluent cover drive and a pulled boundary in front of square, but Zaheer Khan found the inside edge off a delivery that nipped back into the left-hander. Khan could have been run out on 11 when Mohammad Yousuf refused a quick single but Sachin Tendulkar's throw from mid-on missed the stumps at the non-striker's end. The extended first session was played to make up for a possible shortened third session due to poor light.

India opted to pack its side with five specialist bowlers and made two changes from the first test team. The visitors dropped former captain Sourav Ganguly and Ajit Agarkar and brought in Pratap Singh and Zaheer. Pakistan made two changes to its bowling department with fast bowler Mohammad Asif and allrounder Abdul Razzaq replacing Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved, reports the AP. N.U.