CRICKET:Pakistan's new crisis men Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal defied India in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand after Younis Khan's masterly 80 in the third and final Test yesterday.

In-form Misbah struck a controlled 54 and Akmal a gritty 32 as the visitors, searching for a series-levelling victory, ended day three on 369 for five, needing a further 58 to avoid the follow-on after India's first innings 626 all out.

The duo came together for a commanding 81-run partnership after seamer Ishant Sharma surprised Faisal Iqbal (22) with extra bounce to be caught at short-leg after the batsman had put on 61 with Misbah.

But Misbah and Akmal, who helped save the second Test in Kolkata scoring centuries in a sixth-wicket stand of 207, denied the hosts further success.

"I think tomorrow's morning session will be important. The way the wicket is behaving, it will not be easy for their lower-order batsmen," said India's Saurav Ganguly, whose team conceded an Indian record 70 extras.

Younis, stand-in captain for injured Shoaib Malik, shared in two fruitful partnerships after the visitors resumed at 86 for one on a placid pitch.

But his dismissal along with the experienced Mohammad Yousuf (24) in subsequent overs saw Pakistan lose control in the second session.

Scoreboard

INDIA first innings626 (S Ganguly 239, Y Singh 169, I Pathan 102, Arafat 5-161)

PAKISTAN first innings(overnight 86-1)

S Buttc Karthik b Ganguly 68

Y Hameedlbw b Kumble 19

Y Khanb Harbhajan 80

M Yousufc Yuvraj b Pathan 24

Misbah-ul-Haqnot out 54

F Iqbalc Gambhir b Sharma 22

K Akmalnot out 32

Extras(b-31 lb-25 nb-14) 70

Total(five wickets, 117 overs) 369

Fall of wickets:1-59 2-149 3-221 4-227 5-288.

To bat:Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Yasir Arafat

Bowling:Pathan 28-11-61-1, Sharma 23-7-88-1 (nb-8), Kumble 28-8-71-1, Ganguly 10-2-20-1 (nb-1), Harbhajan 23-6-66-1, Yuvraj 5-2-7-0 (nb-1)