Pakistan’s tour of India concluded with the third Test match in Bangalore.
India won the toss and chose to bat. At 61/4, they were struggling, but that was before Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh came together, in a partnership worth exactly 300 for the fifth wicket.
Yuvraj was the more aggressive of the pair, while Ganguly content to play more of a supporting role. After Yuvraj fell for 169 with a six and 28 fours, Ganguly added 66 with Dinesh Karthik. And after Karthik fell for for 24, he combined with Irfan Pathan in a stand worth 178 for the seventh wicket.
Ganguly finally fell for 239, having struck two sixes and 30 fours. It remains the highest score by an Indian left-hander. India were all out for 626 soon afterwards. Irfan was last out for 102, including four sixes. Yasir Arafat took 5-161, becoming the first Pakistani to claim five wickets on his Test debut.
Pakistan, though, responded well. Opener Salman Butt scored 68 and captain Younis Khan 80. Misbah-ul-Haq then put on 144 for the sixth wicket with Kamran Akmal, who made 65, and 93 for the seventh, with Arafat, whose contribution was 44. Pakistan were eventually dismissed for 537, Misbah unbeaten on 133, with 17 fours against his name. Ishant Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers, with 5-115.
India looked to score quick runs to set up the declaration. Ganguly again led the way with 91, while Karthik made 52. However, Anil Kumble declared a tad too late, on 284/6, probably to allow Karthik to get to his fifty.
Pakistan needed 374. There was a brief scare during a flurry of late wickets, but Pakistan managed to scrape with a draw to finish on 162/7. Kumble took 5-60 and Yuvraj 2-9.
Ganguly was named Player of the Match, and of the Series. India had won the Test series by one match to nil, having earlier triumphed in the ODIs as well.