WHEN Simon Taufel gave Inzamamul Haq out caught at bat-pad, I was reminded of the French philosopher Blaise Pascal had said about Cleopatra: "Had Cleopatra's nose been shorter, the whole face of the world would have changed."
Had Taufel paused momentarily, he would have given Inzamam the benefit of the doubt and the fate of this Test match would have been different. He gave the decision almost in unison with the appeal.
Inzamam looked distinctly unhappy and replays were unconvincing that the umpire had it dead right. It was a huge wicket and it may cost Pakistan the Test match.
Inzamam and Yasir Hameed had got the measure of the Indian bowling. They were involved in a punishing partnership and runs were coming freely. With Inzamam to watch over him, Yasir had shed all his apprehensions and was in his element, his cover-driving a thing of beauty. Here was a young batsman, his youth bursting all over playing shots that were breathtaking.
Inzamam was no less brilliant but more watchful. Then he was given out and Yasir seemed to lose heart as he fished needlessly at an outgoing delivery and was caught behind. Inzamam and Yasir had put on 160 runs. Inzamam had made 77 and Yasir 91. Their back-to-back dismissal was, as if, someone had switched off the light.
The dismissal of Moin Khan on the last ball of the day would have been comical had its consequences not been so tragic. Pakistan still need 112 to save the follow on.
Moin and Abdul Razzaq were going reasonably well, they had seen through the new ball and were looking positive. When the last over of the day had to be bowled, they both seemed to have lost their nerve, as if, the moment of truth had arrived.
Neither wanted the strike and saw Tendulkar's mixed bag of spinners as hand grenades. It was Moin's misfortune that he got the strike and he was bowled round his legs, not so much as trying to play the ball but trying to wish it away from his stumps. It is impossible to describe what he was doing for he appeared to be in a trance.
Pakistan closed the day at 364 for six. Razzaq is still there on 47 runs. It has been a resolute innings wholly out of character but exactly what was needed. Much depends on him. But it's a tall ask to get another 112 runs and Pakistan's only hope is to save the follow on.
Pakistan did not bat all that poorly but lost wickets at regular intervals. The openers did not survive the first session. Taufiq Umar showed he was lacking in match practice and wasn't timing the ball. He followed the movement of the swing of the ball playing a nothing shot.
Imran Farhat just missed a straight ball and was leg before and Pakistan had lost the two early wickets that India's bowlers had planned to get at a minimum before lunch.
Yousuf Youhana looked like a batsman troubled by a lack of form but he was beginning to find his touch and some of the magic was coming back when he needlessly tried to glance a ball, a sort of reflex action and got a feather touch and got no mercy from the umpire. It had been that kind of a day.
A total of 1039 runs have been scored in this Test match for the loss of 11 wickets. Unfortunately, India got 675 of them. Even worse, got them in quick time by Test match standards. So there is plenty of time left and Pakistan now needs both runs and time.
It is imperative that Pakistan prolong this first innings as long as it can. Saqlain Mushtaq has a Test hundred to his name and Mohammad Sami and Shoaib Akhtar are no mugs with the bat.
Razzaq has got to stay at the crease. Once again, he is needed to come to the aid of a Pakistan innings but in completely different circumstances. But he cannot be wholly out of character.
The Indians have a healthy respect for him and will want his wicket soonest. The general idea should be not to give this wicket away cheaply.
