1st Innings: Pakistan 116; India 145.

2nd Innings: Pakistan 249; India 204

BANGALORE, India, March 13, (Reuter): Indian left arm spinner Maninder Singh exploited a tuming pitch to capture his test best of seven for 27 and skittle Pakistan out for 1160n one of the most dramatic days of their series today.

To total of 12 wickets tumbled on the opening day of the fifth and final test, with India struggling to 68 for two by the close after off spinner Tauseef Ahmed dismissed openers Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Maninder undermined Pakistan, who won the toss and chose to bat, in a damaging spell of 5.3 overs in which he took five of his wickets. He beat his previous best of seven for 51 in the second test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur last December. Pakistan, whose last eight wickets tumbled for 56, were dismissed for their lowest total in tests against India, their previous lowest being 150 in New Delhi during the 195253 series.

The day’s events contrasted sharply with the tedious and sour batting on both sides that marked the previous four draw tests. There is now the realistic prospect of a definite result to the series, and the end of a sequence of 11 draw tests between the terms.

India’s Captain and all-rounder Kapil Dev made the inroads with the new ball this morning, but Pakistan recovered to reach a comparatively prosperous 60 for two before Maninder tilted the balance.

He tormented the batsmen with flight and accuracy from his first delivery, and only Salim Malik resisted by making the top score of 33 before he was bowled by Maninder.

Maninder was effectively supported by fellow left arm spinner Ravi Shastri, who took only one wicket but conceded a mere 19 runs in 11 overs.

India’s joy at dismissing the touring term so cheaply was tempered by their own problems on the difficult pitch when Tauseef was brought into the attack after a brief new ball burst by Imran Khan and Wasim Akram.

Tauseef bowled both Gavaskar and Srikkanth for 21, and had taken two for 15 from 11 overs at the close when India was 48 behind with eight wickets in hand.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 20, 1987