Day 2: Pakistan stumble after Akram's hostile five-wicket burst

After captain Wasim Akram showed his fire-power with a five-wicket haul, which earned his team a 58-run lead against India A, Pakistan lost four wickets for eight runs and then slid to 23-5 in their second knock.

Inzamam-ul Haq, with 60, and Salim Malik stopped the rot with an unfinished stand of 84 for the sixth wicket as the tourists ended the second day at 107-5, an overall lead of 165 with five wickets in hand.

The fickle batting form was not what the tourists hoped for ahead of their first Test series on Indian soil starting in Madras Thursday.

The damage was caused by promising 17-year-old allrounder Laxmi Shukla, who justified his inclusion in India's 14-man squad for the first Test with three of the first five wickets.

Shukla bowled Wajahatullah Wasti in the second over, giving the newcomer a pair in the match, and then had first innings century-maker Yousuf Youhanna and Mushtaq Ahmed snapped up by wicket-keeper Saba Karim.

New ball partner Dodda Ganesh chipped in with the other two wickets, including the first over dismissal of veteran opener Saeed Anwar for the second time in the match.

The sensational collapse came after skipper Akram's heroics saw India A bundled out for 276 just before tea.

The accomplished allrounder, who removed India's new Test openers Venkat Laxman and Sadagopan Ramesh late on the first day, worked up hostile pace on the slow wicket to demolish the home team.

Middle-order batsman Jacob Martin, a prolific scorer in domestic cricket, was the only batsman to counter Akram's hostility, top-scoring with 72.

The tourists sent down 27 no balls in India A's innings, 14 of them by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and eight by fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistani coach Javed Miandad conceded his team was short of match practice, but was confident the tourists will iron out the chinks before the first Test.

``We'll be okay before the Test,'' Miandad said. ``Such things happen at the start of any tour.''