FAISALABAD, Jan 25: Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf continued their affection for India bowling by notching up their fourth centuries against them as the second Test ended in a predictable stalemate at the Iqbal Stadium on Wednesday. The Pakistan vice-captain helped himself to 194, which turned out to be his 11th century in 41 Tests and fourth in consecutive matches against the Indians and sixth in this form of cricket since he made a comeback against Sri Lanka at Karachi nearly 15 months ago.

From the time when the 28-year-old got off to an inauspicious beginning in Mohali Test last March, Younis has simply gone from strength to strength when it comes to playing against the arch-rivals.

The Mardan-born run-machine’s avalanche of runs against the Indians since then have been 147 and 0 at Kolkata, 267 and 84 not out at Bangalore, 199 at Lahore, 83 and 194 in this match. His aggregate against India now stands at an incredible 984 runs in mere five matches.

Yousuf also prospered on the batting paradise as he registered 1,000 runs in 11 matches against India during his 16th three-figure knock in 64 Tests.

The 31-year-old was run out for 129, his third hundred in as many Tests this season following 223 against England and 173 versus Rahul Dravid’s men, both at Lahore.

As the day progressed, the ground started to fill up. Most of the spectators had not come to expect an exciting finish, but to watch Shahid Afridi.

The crowd’s arguably most popular cricketer finally received a rousing reception once Abdul Razzaq had steered Zaheer Khan into Vangipurappu Laxman’s hands at slip.

Afridi, however, stunned his large band of following by slashing at a wide delivery which ended in Dhoni’s gloves during Zaheer’s spell of four for two in 10 balls. In fact, such is Afridi’s reputation that thousands of diehard fans, mostly schoolchildren, were made to wait for hours before they were allowed in.

Still, hundreds were chased away by policemen manning entry points around the arena.

But Younis and Yousuf were unstoppable against the wilting Indian bowlers.

The third-wicket pair added 242 in 316 balls while it rained fours and sixes.

Faisalabad’s 13th inconclusive encounter in 24 matches will be remembered for a record number of sixes bludgeoned in a single Test match as the hapless bowlers were punished at will.

Pakistan’s five sixes in the second innings extended the match’s tally to 25, beating the previous record of 23 in the New Zealand-England Test on a drop-in pitch at Christchurch in 2001-02.

As the records tumbled almost at will much to the statisticians’ pleasure, centuries from Younis and Yousuf on Wednesday helped take the number of three-figure innings at Iqbal Stadium to 53. A total of 1702 runs were scored for the loss of 28 wickets at a brisk rate of more than four an over.

For the record, Younis struck 19 fours and one six in his 299-ball knock. Yousuf hammered 11 boundaries and four sixes in negotiating 179 balls.

Nevertheless, it was heartening to note that a bowler, left-arm medium-pacer Rudra Pratap Singh, was declared Man-of-the-Match for his promising Test five-wicket debut.

Inzamamul Haq expressed his satisfaction at the final outcome and admitted it was pointless to have closed the innings to infuse some interest on the lifeless day five track.

Rahul Dravid commented it was good to see India fight back after Pakistan amassed 588 in the first innings. He praised the manner in which Dhoni, in particular, and Pathan engineered the comeback.

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