India edge towards victory

Pakistan could only add 35 to their overnight total as they were bowled out for 247 before lunch. And, despite losing Dinesh Karthik in the first over, India made steady progress thanks to Jaffer's 53 from 81 balls.

Resuming their second innings on 212 for five, Pakistan lost wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in the first over of the day and never recovered as Zaheer Khan and Sourav Ganguly took two wickets apiece to restrict the tourists' lead to 202.

Akmal (21) edged a delivery from Zaheer to point and Sohail Tanvir (13) was next to go when he skied an attempted pull off Zaheer to Harbhajan Singh at square leg.

Ganguly removed Misbah-ul-Haq (45) and Mohammed Sami (five) thanks to some injudicious strokes before Danish Kaneria was run out for a duck as Pakistan collapsed to 247 all out.

However, India could not negotiate a tricky period before lunch as Shoaib found the edge of Karthik's bat to dismiss the opener for one and leave India on three for one.

Leg-spinner Kaneria was on a hat-trick when he was introduced into the attack after lunch, but Jaffer was steady in his defence.

Rahul Dravid survived what looked an excellent lbw appeal from Sami, before edging for four through vacant third slip in the paceman's next over.

But there were also some fine strokes among the nerves, in particular a back-foot drive from Dravid which brought him four runs off the bowling of Sami.

Jaffer looked comfortable against Kaneria as a flick through mid-wicket for four, which took Pakistan to 76 for one, demonstrated. And the opener brought up his ninth Test half-century with a back-foot punch for four off Shoaib.