LAHORE, April 8: There were no heroics from the last five Indian batsmen and the inevitable happened as Pakistan cantered to a convincing nine-wicket victory in the second Test on Thursday at the Qadhafi Stadium to level the three-match series 1-1.

It was a reversal of form for the two Asian rivals. India ruled the roost in the first Test, but Pakistan showed character to hit back with almost five sessions to spare. The stage is now set for an exciting final Test at Rawalpindi starting from Tuesday. India won the first Test at Multan by an innings and 52 runs.

The fate of the Lahore Test was decided in the first two sessions of the opening day by a dream spell offive for 31 from lanky seamer Umar Gul, who was a last-minute inclusion after Shabbir Ahmed was ruled out with a shin injury. Umar was deservingly voted Man-of-the-Match although skipper Inzamamul Haq's century was no less important in the context of end result.

Resuming at overnight 149 for five, India were bowled out for 241, leaving Pakistan the easy target of 40, which the hosts achieved in seven overs for the loss of one wicket - that of first innings's century-maker Imran Farhat, brilliantly caught at point by Yuvraj Singh off Lakshmipathy Balaji.

It took Pakistan 145 minutes on the fourth day to wrap up the Test when Taufiq Umar glanced Irfan Pathan to fine leg for the winning boundary, some 25 minutes after lunch.

At one stage it appeared that the match would be over before lunch but for an entertaining eighth-wicket stand of 75 between Parthiv Patel and Ajit Agarkar, which ensured India avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat.

India's slim hopes of making a match of it rested on the shoulders of Virender Sehwag, who resumed the day at 86. But Shoaib Akhtar had other ideas when he sent back Sehwag and Pathan in the space of five deliveries to reduce India to 160 for seven.

Sehwag, having added just four runs, tried to drive but only succeeded in edging the ball to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. Pathan, who made 49 in the first innings, was undone by a brute of a delivery from the 'Rawalpindi Express' and easily caught in the slips by Taufiq Umar.

Patel and Agarkar played some bold strokes but the result was never in doubt and the introduction of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria hastened India's demise as the last three wickets fell for six runs.

Kaneria spun one across Agarkar to have caught him at slip for 36. Anil Kumble, who was stumped, and Balaji, trapped leg-before-wicket, were dismissed in successive deliveries as the spinner finished with figures of three for 14.

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